Slavery’s Economic, Political, and Social Causes that led to the

Civil War

Slave Culture

• Constant debate over slavery

• Varied from region to region

• Most owners made sure they got the most work out of the slaves.

• Field slaves-majority

• House Servants-minority

• Overseers-made sure slaves followed orders and handed out punishment

• House Servants had better living conditions but were on call 24 hrs

• Worked as Butlers, nurses and cooks• Slave Owners would have more house

servants than necessary to show their wealth in society

• House servants would resist moving to fieldwork

Slave Culture

• Majority of plantations used gang labor system- all worked on the same task. Sun up to Sun down; men, women and children did the same job

• Allowed 15 minutes for lunch

• Received minimal clothing and food

• Would punish slaves in front of other slaves to use as an example

Slave Culture

• 2 suits of clothing: 1 summer, 1 winter• Food: meat, meal, molasses, potatoes,

and corn (some would increase food rations during harvest)

• Some slaves had own gardens to supplement

• Housing: stick and dirt chimneys, 1 door, 1 window w/o glass (huts), 9-12 people in single room

Slave Culture

• Labor-intensive crops:

• Rice-long hours in flooded, swampy fields, bent over for much of the time

• Cotton-weeding fields, picked cotton by hand, stooped over, several pickings a season (cotton ripened gradually)

• Tobacco-labor continuous and hard (primed, topped, suckered)

Slave Culture

Slave rebellions-revolt, runaway, pretended to be sick, fooled whites verbally or with forged passes, stole from masters, broke tools

• Virginia Gazette(Dixon & Hunter), Williamsburg , May 11, 1776.

•     TWENTY POUNDS REWARD. RUN away from the Subscriber, in Sussex County, about two Years ago, a Negro Fellow named JIM, about 24 Years old, of a yellowish Complexion, is bow legged, has a remarkable long Head, his Hair was nicely trimmed when he went away, and his fore Teeth are very open. As it is probable the said Slave may be stolen, or detained by some Villain, from the length of Time he has been gone, any Person who will bring me the said slave, or convict the Thief (if stolen) shall receive the above Reward from THOMAS HUSON.

• Virginia Gazette(Dixon & Hunter), Williamsburg , June 29, 1776.

•     ALBEMARLE, May 12, 1776. CAME to my House, this Day, TWO MULATTO BOYS about 13 Years of Age, who say they are Twins, their Names Thomas Hill and James Hill, Children of Susanna Hill, a free Woman, who lived at Fredericksburg with one Thomas Mitchell, a Scotch Merchant, and went away with him either to Scotland or Lord Dunmore (as they understand) about two Months and a Half past. They claim Freedom, and say they never were bound to any Person: But as they may be Slaves to Somebody, I have thought it prudent to publish this Advertisement, that their Master (if they have any) may get them again. JOSEPH WOOLING.

• Norfolk Herald (Willett and O'Connor),Norfolk, June 23, 1803

• COMMITTED to Norfolk county jail, a Mulatto Man, who calls himself Charles Smith, about 35 years old, 5 feet 8 inches high; says he is free, and that he was born in the city of Annapolis, in the state of Maryland, and for the last six years has been in the employ of capt. Barber, who sails in a packet from Annapolis to Baltimore; has a small scar on his left cheek, and one on his left breast; and his back bears the appearance of severe correction. The owner, if any he has, is desored to come forward, prove his property, pay charges, and take him away, otherwise he will be dealt with according to law. John Thompson, jailor. Portsmouth, June 7.

• Norfolk Herald (Willett and O'Connor),Norfolk, June 28, 1803

• FIFTEEN DOLLARS REWARD, FOR apprehending LUCY and ROSE. I purchased LUCY of the estate of Cuthbert Tunstal, dec'd, and ROSE of said Tunstal in his life time, both of the above Negroes eloped from me in August last. LUCY is about 40 years of age; rather spare made, has large eyes, and of a dark tawney complexion; I am told she can read, and perhaps write a little. She is an excellent seamstress, nurse & c. & c. She is well acquainted in Norfolk, and has frequently visited that place as a free negro--She is also acquainted about the Indian Towns on the branches of York River. ROSE I am inclinable to believe is in the neighbourhood of Gen. Young's, in King and Queen, altho' both of them have relatives at Mr. Clack Row's, in Caroline county. I do hereby forewarn all persons from harbouring said negroes, as well as Masters and owners of vessels from carrying them off. The above reward will be paid for confining them in jail so that I get them, or reasonable charges for bring [sic] them home. Ten Dollars for LUCY and Five for ROSE. [symbol] I am willing to sell LUCY--Any person wishing to buy will please let me hear from them immediately. WILLIAM HOWESTON Essex county, June 28.

Slavery Statistics

• % Of white southerners by # of slaves owned

• 5% owned 1• 2% owned 20-49• 7% owned 2-4• 10% owned 5-19• 1% owned 50 or more• 75% owned NO slaves

Why non-slave holding whites supported slavery

• Dream that one day they would own one

• Own status protected by system

• Free and white-other worse off than they

King Cotton• Cotton was King- 1850 a billion pounds

produced; 6X the amount produced in 1820• Made up ½ of nations exports• 1793- Cotton Gin- invented by Eli Whitney,

increased production of cotton and demand for slaves

• Removal of Native Americans from SE opened up more land

for cotton production

What was going on up North

• Slavery disappeared by 1820• Prejudice and discrimination existed• RI and PA prohibited free blacks to vote• Most communities would not let free

blacks attend public schools• Barred from public facilities• Segregated schools and hospitals• Majority extremely poor

Slave Codes

• Slave states had Slave Codes (laws) –restricted travel, marriage and education

• Some owners allowed slaves to keep their own vegetable garden and chickens

• Field hands had much harsher working/living conditions than house slaves

• Slave Codes got stricter closer to the Civil War

• Skilled workers: blacksmith and carpenters; would hire out their services and earn enough money to purchase freedom Move up north and would often be recaptured

THREE MAIN CAUSES

• SLAVERY – main cause

• SECTIONALISM – favoring one region over the whole country

• SECESSION/STATES’ RIGHTS – breaking away from the country/believing states are more important than nation

Missouri Compromise

• Who – Henry Clay• What – set line to divide free and slave states in

future (except Missouri); Missouri enters as a slave state, Maine as a free state

• When – 1820• Where – Missouri, Maine, Western Territory• Why – kept balance of slave and free states – 12

of each• Drew a line along the southern border of

Missouri across Louisiana Purchase. Everything North of line would be free. Everything South of line would be slave.

Missouri Compromise

Nat Turner’s Rebellion

• Who – Nat Turner, 17 other slaves• What – rebellion against slave owners, killed 55

white people• When – August 21, 1831, Nat Turner hanged on

November 11, 1831• Where – South Hampton, Virginia• Why – freedom from slavery• How – 1. Kill white slave owners 2. Capture county capital 3. Take over Virginia• Impact: caused for stricter treatment

AbolitionistsPeople who wanted to end Slavery

• Who – William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, the Grimke sisters etc.

• What – Abolitionist- people who wanted to end slavery• When – late 1700’s until 1865• 1863 – Emancipation Proclamation• 1865 – 13th amendment abolishes slavery• Where – all over the US, mostly in the North and Great

Britain• Why – religious and moral reasons; enslaving human

beings is wrong, not good for poor whites and Southern economy

• How – protests, pamphlets, newspapers, Underground Railroad

Abolition Leaders

William Lloyd GarrisonDavid Walker

Robert Finley

Angelina andSarah Grimke

Underground Railroad• Who - Harriet Tubman, Harriet

Jacobs, Sojourner Truth, conductors, Stationmasters, bounty hunters

• What - escape system for slaves out of the South, set up by free Blacks, escaped slaves, white abolitionists, and religious groups (Quakers)

• When – 1831 to 1850 – stopped by Fugitive Slave Law

• Where – mostly southern states to Canadian border, stations 2 to 20 miles apart

Underground Railroad

• Why – Freedom for slaves, secret escape route

• How – secret routes, hid in attics, barns, cellars. Traveled by walking or in boats at night

COMPROMISE OF 1850• Who – Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John C.

Calhoun, Stephen Douglas• What – 1. Ca. admitted as free state• 2. New Mex. and Utah – people vote on slavery• 3. DC – slavery, but no slave trade• 4. Strong Fugitive Slave Law• When – 1850• Where – Ca., New Mex., Utah, DC• Why – no more balance of free and slave states• 1849 – 15 of each• South would never again have even numbers• How – Congress approves, keeping nation from

breaking apart

Fugitive Slave Act

• Under the compromise the fugitive slave act was revised

• The act made it a federal crime to help any runaway slaves and it would let officials arrest any slave in free territories. The accused fugitives were not allowed to testify on their behalf.

• It gave slave owners the right to organize a posse at any point to recapture runaway slaves. Everyone was obligated to assist. If caught helping runaways you were jailed, fined, or executed.

KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT

• Who – Stephen Douglas• What – repealed Missouri Compromise, allowed

people to decide slavery for themselves (popular sovereignty), “Bleeding Kansas” and John Brown – violence over slavery

• When – Act is passed in 1854, Nebraska becomes free state in 1854, Kansas in 1859

• Where – Kansas, Nebraska

Kansas-Nebraska

• Why – Belief that citizens of a state should decide whether it was slave or free, where to build transcontinental railroad.

• How – Act passed in Congress caused major violence in Kansas

Conflict swept Congress

• Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts gave a speech called “The Crime Against Kansas”.

• In the speech he insulted congressman Butler of SC.

• A relative of Butler, Representative Preston Brooks approached Sumner and beat him with a cane until he was unconscious

• Southerners praised Brooks and sent him canes.• Northerners were outraged and called him “Bully

Brooks.

RAID ON HARPER’S FERRYOCTOBER 16, 1859

• Who – John Brown, 21 whites and free blacks

• What – raid on arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, get weapons and ammo stored there, 10 of his men killed, the rest captured

• When – 10/16/1859 – attack on arsenal, John Brown and 6 others found guilty of treason and hanged on 12/2/1859

• Where – Harper’s Ferry, Virginia

Harper’s Ferry

• Why – was an abolitionist – hated slavery

• How – attacked arsenal with 21 followers, going to use weapons to begin slave revolt (None joined), stopped by Col. Robert E. Lee and US Marines

JOHN BROWN

DRED SCOTT DECISION• Who – Dred Scott, Roger

B. Taney• What – sued for his

freedom based on the fact that he had lived in a free state

• When – 1856-57• Where – Missouri, Illinois,

Wisconsin• Why – Supreme Court

ruled he could not sue since he was property, not a citizen

• How – anti-slavery lawyers helped Scott sue

Dred Scott Decision

Three Key Issues

1. Was Dred Scott a citizen (could he sue)

2. Did living on free soil make him free

3. Was banning slavery on the Louisiana Purchase Constitutional

Dred Scott Decision

Supreme Court Justice Taney1. Founding Fathers believed blacks “had no

rights which a white man was bound to respect”, therefore blacks were not citizens.

2. His status depended on the laws of Missouri and that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional.

3. Slave owners were protected under the 5th Amendment, “no one could be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law”.

ELECTION OF 1860Who – John Breckinridge –Southern DemocratStephen Douglas – Northern DemocratJohn C. Bell – Constitutional Union PartyAbraham Lincoln – RepublicanWhat – Presidential Election – Breckinridge gets

most southern states, Douglas gets Missouri, Bell gets Border States, Lincoln gets all northern states/not even on the ballot in the south

When – 11/6/1860Where – United States – South Carolina said it

would leave US (secede) if Lincoln won. SC secedes on 12/20/1860

Election of 1860

• Why – to elect a President of the United States

• How – electoral college and popular vote split in the Democratic Party helped Lincoln win – he had 180 of 303 electoral votes, but only 40% of the popular vote