APUSH Unit 4: The "Peculiar" Institution and An Age of Reform

What crop dominated the economy of the Old South between 1800 and 1860?

Cotton

How did the northern textile industry relate to the cotton economy of the South?

The northern and international textile industry depended on cotton as a raw material.

What was the significance of the term 'Cotton Is King'?

Cotton replaced sugar as the world's major crop produced by slave labor in the nineteenth century.

What was the Second Middle Passage?

The sale and trade of slaves within the United States, which flourished despite the prohibition of the African slave trade.

How many slaves were sold from 1820 to 1860 in the U.S.?

More than 2 million slaves.

What role did Northern merchants play in the slave economy?

They participated in the slave economy and shared in its profits through ships, banks, insurers, and factories.

What characterized the Southern economy compared to the Northern economy?

The South had few large cities, mainly focused on gathering and shipping cotton, and produced less than 10 percent of the nation's manufactured goods.

What percentage of white southerners did not own slaves?

Three

What was the primary reason most white southerners supported slavery?

Shared bonds of regional loyalty, racism, and kinship ties.

What was the typical size of slaveholding families in 1850?

The majority owned five or fewer slaves.

What was the paternalist ethos in the context of slavery?

It allowed slaveowners to view themselves as kind, responsible masters while owning slaves.

What were some arguments used to justify slavery?

Commitment to white supremacy, biblical sanction of slavery, and the belief that slavery was essential to human progress.

What was the impact of abolition movements in Spanish America and the British Empire on U.S. slavery debates?

Proslavery advocates used the decline in cash crops post

What did white southerners claim about their relationship to the American Revolution?

They declared themselves the true heirs of the American Revolution.

How did proslavery arguments reinterpret the Declaration of Independence?

They began to repudiate the ideas of universal equality and freedom.

What was George Fitzhugh's argument regarding slavery and liberty?

He argued that slaves were the happiest and freest people because they were not burdened with financial concerns.

What legal rights did slaves have?

Slaves were considered property with few legal rights, unable to testify against whites or gather without permission.

What was the Trial of Celia about?

Celia killed her master while resisting a sexual assault.

What was the role of slave masters in controlling slaves' lives?

Masters controlled slaves' marriages, free time, and ability to learn or gather.

What were some forms of slave resistance?

Silent sabotage, running away, and full

Who was Frederick Douglass and what was his contribution to the abolitionist movement?

Douglass was a former slave and leader of the abolitionist movement who published an autobiography condemning slavery and racism.

What was the cultural significance of family life, folklore, and religion in slave society?

They were efforts by slaves to maintain autonomy and cultivate a strong will for freedom.

What was the distinctive culture of New Orleans in the context of the Old South?

It had a large immigrant culture with French and Caribbean heritage.

What was the relationship between slavery and the economy of the South?

Slavery was a profit

What was the impact of the cotton industry on American exports by 1860?

Cotton represented well over half the total value of American exports.

What happened to Celia, the pregnant woman charged with murder?

Her execution was delayed until she gave birth to avoid denying her master his property rights.

How did the living conditions of American slaves compare to those in the West Indies and Brazil?

American slaves enjoyed better diets, lower infant mortality, and longer life expectancies.

What was the paternalistic ethos of the South?

It was a belief that justified the care and protection of slaves, contributing to their better living conditions.

What was the status of free blacks in the Old South by 1860?

There were nearly half a million free blacks, mostly in the South, but they faced significant legal restrictions.

What legal rights did free blacks have in the Old South?

They could own property and marry but could not own firearms, testify in court, or strike a white person.

Where did most free blacks in the Lower South reside?

In cities like New Orleans and Charleston, where some mixed

What types of jobs did slaves perform?

Slaves worked in various roles including cutting wood, mining, dock work, laying railroad tracks, and skilled artisan jobs.

What percentage of women and men worked as field hands?

Approximately 75% of women and 90% of men worked in the fields.

What was the role of overseers on large plantations?

Overseers directed slave labor, often employing harsh methods to maintain productivity.

What was the significance of the task system in South Carolina and Georgia?

It allowed slaves to complete specific tasks, after which they could have free time, contrasting with gang labor systems.

What was the primary occupation of city slaves?

Most city slaves worked as servants, cooks, and domestics, while some were skilled artisans.

How did slave culture develop?

It was shaped by African traditions and American experiences, fostering a strong desire for freedom.

What was the impact of the threat of sale on slave families?

One in three slave marriages could be broken by sale, and many children were separated from their families.

What role did religion play in slave culture?

Black Christianity provided hope and community, with many slaves forming their own churches and interpreting Christian beliefs.

What was the Gospel of Freedom?

It was a transformation of Christianity by slaves, blending African traditions with biblical stories that offered hope.

What forms of resistance did slaves employ?

Common forms included silent sabotage, while less common forms involved poisoning masters or armed assaults.

What was the Underground Railroad?

A network of abolitionists who helped slaves escape, with figures like Harriet Tubman playing a key role.

What happened during the Amistad incident?

In 1839, slaves seized their freedom aboard the Amistad, leading to a Supreme Court ruling that they should be freed.

What was Nat Turner's Rebellion?

In 1831, Nat Turner led a violent uprising in Virginia, resulting in the deaths of sixty whites before being suppressed.

How did slave culture emphasize the desire for freedom?

Folklore and spirituals glorified the weak and emphasized liberation, highlighting the hypocrisy of the Declaration of Independence.

What was the significance of the family unit among slaves?

Despite legal restrictions, many slaves formed families and named children after relatives to maintain continuity.

How did the legal status of free blacks differ from that of enslaved individuals?

Free blacks could not be bought or sold but faced numerous restrictions that limited their freedoms.

What were some common jobs for slaves in urban areas?

Urban slaves often worked as domestic servants, cooks, or skilled tradespeople.

What was the role of the overseer on plantations?

The overseer was responsible for managing slave labor, often using harsh methods to enforce discipline.

What was the impact of slave rebellions on Southern society?

Rebellions like Nat Turner's sent shockwaves through the South, increasing fear and tightening control over slaves.

What event sent shock waves through the South in 1831?

Turner's rebellion

What action did the Virginia legislature take following Turner's rebellion?

Debated plans for gradual emancipation but voted not to take that step.

What was the response of Virginia to tighten its grip on slavery?

New laws were enacted to further limit slaves' rights.

What significant shift occurred in the Old South in 1831?

White southerners closed ranks and defended slavery more strongly than ever.

Who was Abby Kelley?

An abolitionist and women's rights advocate known for her speeches.

What was the primary focus of the reform movements discussed in the chapter?

History of reform, including communal endeavors, public institutions, abolitionism, and feminism.

What was the goal of the nearly 100 utopian communities established before the Civil War?

To reorganize society on a cooperative basis.

What did the Shakers believe about men and women?

They believed men and women were spiritually equal.

What lifestyle did the Shakers abandon?

Private property and traditional family life, practicing celibacy.

What was Oneida known for under John Noyes?

Practicing complex marriage and achieving a state of 'purity of heart.'

What was the outcome of Brook Farm?

It failed partly because many intellectuals disliked farm labor.

Who was Robert Owen and what did he promote?

A secular communitarian who promoted communitarianism and women's rights.

What was the American Temperance Society's focus?

Directed efforts at both drunkards and occasional drinkers.

What was a common criticism of the reform movements?

Many Americans saw the reform impulse as an attack on their own freedom.

What was the vision of freedom expressed by reform movements?

It was both liberating and controlling.

What types of institutions were built during the reform era?

Jails, poorhouses, asylums, and orphanages.

Who was Horace Mann?

The leading educational reformer of the era who advocated for public education.

What was the American Colonization Society (ACS) founded for?

To promote gradual abolition of slavery and settlement of black Americans in Africa.

What colony did the ACS found in West Africa?

Liberia.

How did most African

Americans view the idea of colonization?

What was the significance of the first national black convention in 1817?

Free blacks condemned colonization and asserted their rights as Americans.

What did militant abolitionists believe about slavery?

They demanded immediate abolition, viewing slavery as sinful and a violation of the Declaration of Independence.

What was the content of David Walker's 'An Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World'?

It was a passionate indictment of slavery and racial prejudice using both secular and religious language.

What was the role of 'The Liberator' in the abolitionist movement?

William Lloyd Garrison's journal, published in 1831, gave abolitionism a permanent voice and called for immediate abolition.

How did abolitionists utilize printed material?

They recognized its democratic potential to spread their message and create a mass constituency.

What was the stance of most abolitionists regarding violence?

Nearly all rejected violence, opting instead for moral suasion to convince slaveholders of their sinful ways.

What did abolitionists believe about the concept of freedom?

They repudiated wage slavery and insisted that true freedom included the inherent right of self

How did abolitionists view race in relation to citizenship?

They believed that being born in America should determine citizenship, not race, and sought to reinvigorate the idea of universal freedom.

What was the impact of Harriet Beecher Stowe's 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'?

It gave the abolitionist message a powerful human appeal and sold over a million copies by 1854.

What challenges did black abolitionists face within the movement?

Despite being integrated, they were often relegated to secondary positions and faced racial discrimination.

What did Frederick Douglass famously question regarding American independence?

He questioned the meaning of the Fourth of July in the context of slavery.

What violent reactions did abolitionism provoke in the North?

Abolitionism faced hostility from northerners who feared it would disrupt the Union and threaten white supremacy.

How did mob attacks against abolitionists affect public opinion?

They convinced many northerners that slavery was incompatible with democratic liberties.

What role did women play in the abolition movement?

Women were instrumental, circulating petitions, attending meetings, and delivering public lectures.

What was the significance of the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848?

Organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, it raised the issue of women's suffrage.

How did early feminists view the concept of freedom?

They believed women deserved individual choices and self

What was the 'slavery of sex' in the context of the women's movement?

It empowered women to critique male authority and their own subordination.

What was the outcome of the abolitionist schism in 1840?

The movement split over the proper role of women, with differing views on women's leadership in antislavery work.

What was the American Anti

Slavery Society's stance on women in leadership?

What did the American and Foreign Anti

Slavery Society believe about women's roles?

How did abolitionists view the Constitution?

Opinions varied

Garrison burned it, while Douglass believed it did not protect slavery.

What was the significance of the Liberty Bell to abolitionists?

Abolitionists consciously identified their movement with the revolutionary heritage symbolized by the Liberty Bell.

What was the role of Theodore Weld in the abolitionist movement?

He helped create a mass constituency for abolitionism using methods of religious revivals.

What was the impact of the gag rule in the House of Representatives?

It prevented consideration of abolitionist petitions calling for an end to slavery.

What did abolitionists identify as essential to their cause?

They identified slavery as a sin and sought to replace gradual emancipation with immediate abolition.