Slavery began in the 17th century in America and continued until late in the 18th century mostly, working towards the production of tobacco and later, cotton. Moreover, with the invention of the cotton gin, and coupled with the high demand for the product, slave labor became the foundation of the European economy. The North and the Old South were different, and this largely owes to the South’s crop economy and its overreliance on slave labor to sustain this economy. Cotton production had led to a reliance on slave labor; in addition, slavery became a creative force, respectful to a social order that had been romanticized and often misunderstood. The Old South was also different from other nations as the slavery there had become an economic system; slavery was the centerpiece of a complex society composed of planters, their ladies, and the plain folk. This is because agriculture was the primary economic activity with little industrial processes taking place in the South. Since there were labor requirements for farming, slave trade became profitable due to the large plantations that required a large workforce (Dorsey & Barnes 2006). Slaves came mainly from the African American community, and they were united by their race and conditions of slavery. However, they also created a cultural system which enabled them to face their hardships and endure the situation. During the 1800-1860 period, the Old South was not only the largest producer of cotton in the world, but also had the largest population of slaves. The main aim of slavery was to provide manual labor with respect to cotton production, and this is despite the many reasons that were given by white slave holders in their attempt to justify it.
Various arguments were used to justify slavery by the white people in the South. These reasons were biblical, historical, and as well, scientific. White slave holders related African Americans to Ham, the son of Noah, who in the Bible, was cursed and condemned to be a servant for eternity; in addition, slaves were meant to obey their masters according to the Old and New Testaments. Regarding the historical view, Egypt and Greece were built as a result of slavery; slave labor also ensured that the educated people in the society could concentrate on government and on military services, rather than on the provision of manual labor (Schwartz 2015). Taking the scientific perspective, many white in the South considered the black community not only as an inferior creation, but also as a degraded race that had a retarded mental and moral development. This meant that the whites were responsible for thinking on behalf of the African Americans which was considered a good thing in the society. To the white community, slavery was profitable on all accounts. This is because they provided labor in their big cotton plantations and also those whites involved in slave trade earned huge profits from the business. However, for African Americans, it was the worst experience faced with hardships and pain. Poor diets, punishments from their masters and the general lack of freedom over their life were the worst features of slavery.
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With the invention of the cotton gin, more varieties of cotton could be grown which led to many whites moving to more fertile lands for the growth of cotton. This also had a direct impact on slave trade as the profits earned in this business increased significantly. Many years of constant use of land for growing cotton led to infertility of the soil and little crop yields. Farmers in the old south had to diversify the crops they grew or flee to other areas (Post 2003). Many of them changed to corn and wheat production which required less labor. Therefore, those whites with excess slaves began to sell them to Lower South in an internal slave trade which later became a multimillion industry. While most slaves were involved in agricultural labor, they were usually trained for all kinds of manual labor that the whites required. This meant that slaves not only served in the economic sector of the Old South but also in the social system. According to the social structure of the South, social prestige, political influence, and economic power were determined by how many slaves a person owned (Denham 2001). They also embraced slavery in the society, even among the poor whites as it gave them superiority over the African Americans. However, in 1808, the Congress abolished slave trade, and the African Americans acquired their freedom.
Afterwards and later in the18th-century, slavery lost its value to the white community due to a drop in yield of cotton and due also, to the degradation of the land that formerly, was used for cotton production. The black community embraced religion since it was the strongest aspect of their lives after the horrors of their day to day life. The often identified with the children of Israelites and believed that one day they will be free. The slaves usually ran away from their masters although not many were successful; they would also do some acts that depicted resistance. The various acts included burning crops and houses, breaking tools, stealing animals and defending other slaves from punishment (Censer 2013). The ultimate act of resistance was rebellion through revolts and constant wars. Although they were poor, most of the African Americans became free people and continued to work in different parts. Most of them moved to the upper south as there were a representation of freedom and they feared re-enslavement if they continued staying in the South. The few African Americans who gained wealth moved to the city and even owned land.
In conclusion, slavery in the Old South was meant to provide labor mainly for cotton production for their white masters. Cotton was the main crop grown in the South and required intensive labor for production. Moreover, Old South was the largest producer of cotton with many factories and other countries relied on it for raw materials. In addition to providing agricultural labor, the slaves were also trained for any manual work that was performed in the white families who owned them. Although there were other theories to justify slavery like a necessity to translate the black community to civilization and a legal entitlement; provision of manual labor was the primary purpose of slaves which was the worst experience for the African Americans. They had no right to proper nutrition, happy marriages or families. For instance, the masters could sell a husband far away from his family to make more money. However, after the 18th century, slave demand went down as the white farmers shifted to production of crops that required less labor and due to degradation of land that occurred after continuous growth of cotton for many years. In addition, the government abolished slave trade and as such, the black quest for freedom had been achieved, albeit following some active resistance on the part of these same blacks. The black community was united by a strong devotion to the Christian religion and also, by their subjection to the same conditions of slavery. Notably, the harshness of slavery served to strengthen their resolve to stand up against slavery. By the end of 1860, the blacks were a free community although poor; also, they were still not allowed to vote, speak in public places or testify against the whites in a court of law. Generally, the white community in the South did not like the back community and was determined to oppress them as they considered themselves superior.
References
Censer, J. T. (May 01, 2013). Families in Crisis in the Old South: Divorce, Slavery, and the Law. By Loren Schweninger (Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press, 2012) 236. Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 44, 1, 135-136.
Denham, J. M. (January 01, 2001). Steven Weisenburger, Modern Medea: A Family Story of Slavery and Child-Murder from the Old South. American Journal of Legal History, 45, 334-335.
Dorsey, J. C., & Barnes, S. L. (January 01, 2006). Toward a History of Slavery in Small Places: Agrarian Diversity, Demographic Expansion, and Economic Stability in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, 1812 -1838. Journal of African American Studies (formerly Journal of African American Men), 10, 2, 3-21.
Post, C. (July 01, 2003). Plantation Slavery and Economic Development and Rebellion in the Antebellum Southern United States by the African Americans. Journal of Agrarian Change, 3, 3, 289-332.
Schwartz, M. J. (June 17, 2015). African American Slavery and Disability: Bodies, Property, and Power in the Antebellum South, 1800-1860. Journal of American History, 102, 1, 249.
