Untitled Flashcards Set

The Peculiar Institution 

The Old South 

Cotton is King 

Cotton replaced sugar as the most important commodity and was the half of American export value 

The Second Middle Passage 

African slave trade was replaced with internal slave trade 

Slavery and the Nation 

slavery shaped the lives of everyone, determined how they lived through cotton manufacturing and trade, New York and other northern states profited from the South 

The Southern Economy 

Upper south had more diversified economy than the lower, which relied on cotton. South did not have urban growth like the north, slavery was main source of profit

Plain folk of the south 

Most southern families did not have slaves and were rather poor, but they believed their freedom depended on slavery 

The planter class

Planter aspirations dominated southern life, ownership of slaves gave route to wealt, status and influence. The older south was very grand, wives looked after plantations 

The paternalist ethos 

In the south, values did not depend on competitive trade, rather on hierarchies where men looked after women, children, and slaves. This was known as paternalism, which increased after the closing of the African slave trade, masked and justified slavery 

The proslavery argument

People in the south believed that slavery was needed for the economy, everyone was motivated by racism. People believed that slavery was the only way to maintain equality, saved people from unskilled labor 

Slavery and Liberty 

People in the south began to argue against universal equality, saying that a white mans freedom depended on slavery 

Life Under Slavery 

Slaves and the Law

Slaves were property under the law and lacked any rights, lives depended entirely on owner. Many of these laws were not strictly followed, but there were other times when regular right were nullified because they were slaves. 

Conditions of slave life 

Health of slaves was better in America than other places, as there was no disease and it was more in the interest of owners to keep them healthy and alive. However, there was less opportunity to gain freedom. 

Free blacks in the south 

Many free blacks lived in the south after emancipation laws, escaping, or buying their freedom. Free blacks could legally buy property and marry, but they were still denied political rights. In places like new orleans, blacks were able to have a more stable community mixed with whites 

Slave labor 

Slaves did all types of work on plantations, running the fields and the house. Most slaves worked on fields, either alongside owners or under overseers. Slavery was harshest in sothern sugar areas, whereas growing rice was more lax. 

Slavery in the cities 

Slaves in the city worked under their owners, but they had more freedom and could work independently. However, people soon began to fear that slaves would start taking over payed labor and sent them to the country 

Maintaining order 

Slave system rested on force, either through violence or fear 

Slave Culture 

The Slave Family 

Families were in constant danger of being broken up, and people could not marry without the owner's consent.

The threat of sale 

Slaves were always threatened to be separated from their family, and many children were separated from their parents. When being sold, there was no guarantee that you could be bought together. 

Gender roles among slaves 

On plantations, gender roles did not apply as much, men could not provide or protect their family. When slaves worked on their own time, they were able to more traditionally fill gender roles 

Slave Religion 

Slaves were drawn into a distinctive version of chrisitanity as a result of the second great awakening and methodist movements. Slaves were not allowed to congregate but still did under self proclaimed preachers. 

The desire for liberty 

Slaves wanted freedom, but they knew it was impossible as owners restricted it as much as possible, but slaves has neighborhoods where they could talk and pass on information 

Resistance to Slavery 

 Forms of Resistance 

Sabotaging or doing poor work was most common, disrutping the plantation routine. There were some committed more dangerous crimes. Some slaves tried to run away, only knowing to head north, most women and children could not escape because the women did not want to leave or take children. Other slaves deeper in the south headed to new orleans to try abd blend in with free blacks. Some abolitionists offered refuge to slaves and sent them off to the next house. 

The Amistad 

53 slaves took control of the Amistad and had the captain drive it to Africa, but it was seized by an American ship. Abolitionists brought case to supreme court and got the slaves their freedom. 

Nat Turners Rebellion 

His rebellion tigtened restrictions on slavery, but the south grew more isolated as more and more people abolished slavery.