Cotton, Slavery, and the Old South

South grows, but does not develop.

1. The Cotton EconomyEconomic power shifts from Upper South to Lower South
a. The Rise of King Cotton
i. Tobacco Economy Declines
ii. Short-Staple cotton
1. more resilient form
2. cotton gin more easily removes seeds
iii. Demand grows in Britain and NE (2/3 of US exports by CW)
iv. Slaves follow to Deep South
b. Southern Trade and Industry
i. Obstacles to economic development
1. non-farm commerce strictly serves plantation economy
2. inadequate transportation system (roads, canals, RR)
ii. Dependence on North
c. Sources of Southern Difference
i. Why so unlike the North?
1. Land increasingly available
2. Little capital invested in things other than plantation
3. Climate unsuitable for heavy industry?
ii. Distinct Southern values
2. Southern White Society>25% of Whites were in households with slaves
a. The Planter Class
i. Planter Aristocracy dominatesbut most only modestly wealthy
ii. Aristocratic idealschivalry, honor
b. The Southern Lady
i. Female subordinance reinforced
1. little access to public world(edu., lit., discourse)
ii. Special burdens?
c. The Plain Folk
i. Typical Southerner was a yeoman farmermostly subsistent
ii. inadequate educational opportunities for plain folk
iii. hill peopleextremely isolatedmostly reject aristocracy
iv. dependence on the plantation systemnon-slaveholding whites
v. absence of class conflict among whites
3. The Peculiar Institution of Slavery
a. Varieties of Slavery
i. Slave Codes outline structuredifferences arise
ii. Paternal relationship common
iii. Societies develop within larger plantations
b. Life under slavery
i. Work conditions
ii. High mortality rates
iii. Domestics vs. Field workerssexual abuse common
c. Slavery in the City
 i. Lack of immigrants leads to Blacks being hired outmore autonomy?
d. Free Blacks
i. 250k by 1860mostly Urban
ii. Restrictions on Manumission (being set free)
e. Slave Resistance
i. Adaptation and resistanceday-to-day defiance, sabotage?
ii. Slave revolts
1. Prosser (1800, VA)Vesey (1822, SC)Turner (1831, VA)
iii. Flight (underground railroad to North)
4. The Culture of Slavery
a. Slave Religion
i. Black Christianityincluding African influence?
b. Language and Music
i. pidgin language
ii. Spiritualsrhythm, dance, storytelling
c. The Slave Family
i. Marriageextended kinship measures
ii. Paternalism and Mutual dependence

Conclusions:
North: complex & rapidly developing economy, marked by industry, urban areas
South: expands agrarian economy w/out fundamental changes

North/South differences
--resources (natural or otherwise)
--Social structure
--climate
--culture
--social class fluidity?

migration to Lower South

Planter class becomes more entrenched