0
Still curious? Ask our experts.
Chat with our AI personalities
Jordan
Devin
LaoSlavery was a significant aspect of life in the Southern United States before the Civil War, deeply ingrained in the region's economy, society, and culture. While not the sole defining feature, the institution of slavery had a profound impact on all aspects of Southern life, influencing everything from labor practices and agricultural production to social hierarchies and political power structures.
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
How did most Southern see slavery?
Most southerners saw slavery as an economic necessity. Slaves worked large plantations all throughout the south. These plantations depended on this cheap/free labor to keep overhead costs down.
What led many poor southern whites to support the institution of slavery?
Many poor southern whites supported slavery due to economic reasons, as it provided them with opportunities for employment in agriculture and industry. Additionally, they believed in the racial hierarchy that justified their societal status above enslaved African Americans. Socially, they also feared competition for jobs and were influenced by the propaganda that portrayed slavery as necessary for maintaining their way of life.
How did the dependence on agriculture and slavery shape southern society?
The South was an agricultural society. Farms, especially before the advent of machines, required labor. Slavery provided cheap labor. This added another level to society. The financial standing of families was often valued by the number of slaves that were owned.
What was the attitude of southern whites towards slavery?
While it is never a good idea to generalize, studies have shown that large majorities of southern whites accepted slavery. Some even felt it was the right thing, because they believed that black people (then called "negroes") were inferior and meant to be slaves. But other southern whites were somewhat more ambivalent about it; we know this because even though they kept slaves, they later arranged to set them free. It is also true that the way slaves were treated varied: some owners were harsh and brutal, while others were somewhat more humane. Still, there was little public discussion about whether keeping slaves was ethical, and most southern whites seemed to support slavery as a necessity for running a plantation. Based on newspaper and magazine articles of that time, we can conclude that a large majority of southern whites were in favor of slavery, or if they had their doubts, they were not vocal about them. But it should be noted that there were a few southerners who were opposed to slavery and who did their part to try to end it. Unfortunately, their views were not the dominant ones, so slavery persisted.
Why did Most Southern whites not own slaves but still supported the slave system?
Most Southern whites, even if they didn't own slaves themselves, supported the slave system because they believed it reinforced their social status and economic well-being. They also perceived slaves as essential to the Southern economy and saw slavery as a fundamental part of their way of life and culture. Additionally, many non-slaveholding whites subscribed to the racial hierarchy that justified and maintained the institution of slavery.
