Chapter 16 Key Terms

Cotton Gin

Machine that separated cotton from its seed. Improved upon by Eli Whitney, making wide-scale cultivation of cotton profitable for both the South and North, increasing demand for slave labor to in the 1900s. 

By 1840, half of America’s exports was Cotton. 

King Cotton

Because of the high profits from cotton everyone planted it leaving the South with a one-crop economy. They produced half of the world’s cotton.

75% of the British supply came from the South.

Planter Aristorcracy

Cottoncracies. White families in the South and were rich, educated, and deeply involved with slave owning.

They were tyrants in the Southern government and widened the financial gap between the poor, making them a huge issue for the North.

By 1850: 

Top - 1,733 families owned 100 or more slaves and most of the land.

Second - 345,000 families, ⅔ of which had less than 10 slaves.

Third - ¾ of all white southerners are without slaves. Over 6 million.

Southern Attitude towards Immigration

The slave system repelled European immigrants, despite the economic and population benefits immigrants who have granted them like in the North. 

In 1860 only 4.5% of Southerners were foreign-born compared to 19% of Northerners. 

Hillbillies/Crackers

Poorer whites living in the South who did not own any slaves. They still supported slavery in hopes of one day becoming a rich slave owner, but truly had no direct stake in the topic of slaves.

Mountain Whites

White farmer societies living in the Appalachians who lived a domestic lifestyle without slaves. They played a vital role in helping the Union win by acting as a peninsula into the Confederacy’s territories.

Free Slaves in Antebellum America

Mulattos; children of slaves and their White owners.

The Northerners still discriminated against free slaves, as they supported the Black race as a whole but not its individuals.

Non-abolitionist Northerners believed anti-slavery movements was disrupting the economy and creating disorder. 

Slave Economy

• Slaves were large investments, costing $1,800.

• Even after foreign slaves were banned, America allowed offspring of slaves to be slaves. This meant women were highly prized.

• Auctions were brutal, and led to “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” being written after Harriet Beecher Stowe was shocked to see a slave mother and her child being separated

• Slaves families were allow to share a cabin together, maintaining a form of family life.

• Slaves were risky investments as they:
  1.Often ran away.

  2.Would purposefully injure themselves.

  3.Worked at the slowest pace possible.

  4.Sometimes rebelled and killed masters.

Slave Rebellions

• Denmark Vesey

• Nat Turner. Led an uprising that killed 60 Virginians and agitated the South especially towards, “The Liberator”.

• Rebellions further radicalized the South.

As a result of white southerners' brutal treatment of their slaves and their fear of potential slave rebellions, the South developed a theory of biological racial superiority.

American Colonization Society

Founded in Liberia in 1822 on the West coast of Africa. It sent freed Blacks back home to Africa and away from America.

William Lloyd Garrison

A stubborn pacifist and abolitionist. Author of, “The Liberator”. Called for an immediate end to slavery and wrote the constitutional for the American Antislavery Society.

He would become a nuisance after pushing for anarchy, advocating to boycott from elections, and failing to accept Fredrick Douglass’s full potential.

Black Abolitionists

• David Walker; wrote, “Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World”.

• Sojourner Truth: Black woman who gave speeches advocating for Black emancipation and women’s rights.

• Martin Delaney: A leader who wanted to recolonize Africa by relocating Blacks.

• Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass

A talented oral performer. Ex-slave. Worked closely with Garrison to spread the horrors of slavery.

Published his Autobiography, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” even under threat of being captured by his former master.

Was the first paragon of Black Abolitionists.

Liberty Party

Abolitionist political party in Antebellum America. Lasted from 1840 to 1860. They were Anti-garrisonians and did not believe in the tactic of moral suasion to repent the South from slavery’s sins.

Free Soil Party

Anti-slavery Democrats, Whigs, and the Liberty Party combined. Was a 3rd party started in 1848 with its main candidate being Martin Van Buren. Replaced by the Republicans in 1854.

The main goal of the party was to prevent the spready of slavery in the West, especially after the Mexican-American War.

What were the reasons used to defend slavery?

• The Bible/Religion did not prohibit it. It implied slavery freed people from Barbarianism.

• Many other societies (Jewish, Romans, Greeks) had slaves.

• Northern Factory jobs had worse living conditions.

These reasons showed why the South had justification to believe slavery as a net positive.

Elijah P. Lovejoy

Abolitionist newspaper journalist. He also condemned the chastity of Southern women.

He was killed in 1837 by a mob, and inspired John Brown to take violent measures against slavery.