Voices of the Old South

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions related to the cultural and social aspects of slavery and the Old South.

King Cotton

A term that refers to the significant role cotton played in the Southern economy, influencing various social and economic groups.

Slavery Statistics

In 1860, three billion dollars was invested in slaves as property, more than railroads and manufacturing combined.

Proslavery Arguments

Arguments used to justify the institution of slavery, asserting it was necessary for social structure and economic success.

Anti-Slavery Arguments

Arguments against slavery, highlighting its moral and ethical implications, voiced by individuals like Abraham Lincoln.

James Hammond

A South Carolina planter who argued that a social class is necessary to perform menial duties and equated manual laborers to slaves.

Miscegenation

A term referring to the interbreeding of people considered to be of different racial types.

Harriet Jacobs

A former slave who wrote about the sexual abuses faced by enslaved women and the lack of legal protection for them.

Freeman

An individual who is not a slave.

Mary Chesnut

A planter's wife who wrote about the intertwining lives of white families and their enslaved concubines.

Yeomen

Small-scale farmers in the South who did not own slaves but were part of the agricultural system.