The twelfth chapter, “Cotton Is King: The Antebellum South, 1800 - 1860”, features the labor-intensive processes of cotton production. Moreover, details the significance of cotton to the Atlantic and American antebellum economy. Apart from these objects, the chapter, more importantly, highlights all aspects of slavery within the United States in the vicinity of the 1800’s to the 1860’s (Corbett et al. 12.1). During the Antebellum period, the South grew cotton and it became a lucrative crop. Because of this, two-thirds of the world’s crop was being produced in the South by 1860. Eli Whitney, with a vision to aid in the slave’s labor-intensive process of cotton production, he invented the cotton gin. However, his vision took a different turn.
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Anti Slavery arguments believed the practice of slavery lacks ethical values and is in opposition to the values defined in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. John Brown’s narrative reflects the lack of such values (Corbett et al. 12.2). Contradictory to the anti-slavery arguments, Pro-slavery arguments included a belief of not a necessary evil but as a necessary good. George Fitzhugh argued just this as he contributed to the defense of slavery with his book Sociology for the South (Corbett et al. 12.3). As a southern writer, Fitzhugh believed slavery did not just benefit society but the slaves themselves. Apart from Fitzhugh, Louis Agassiz developed the idea of polygenism, “the idea that different human races came from separate origins” to codify racism. More specifically, this idea claimed that the “Negro” originated from the descent of the Greeks and chimpanzees, thus making them inferior. This reveals the South’s ‘scientific’ efforts to validate the practice of …show more content…
Some slaves actually used the idea of paternalism to their own advantage. Most hid their intelligence and acted ignorantly. Through this method, they were able to slow down the labor-intensive work for the day. Slaveholders used abusive disciplines such as whipping and shackles. Therefore, slaves lived in constant fear of physical violence and separation from family and friends. Slaves did not have the same privilege of being close to their family members as any other family did. When being sold, in most occasions mothers were separated from their own children and never saw them again. Even under the Southern law, slaves did not have the privilege to marry. Very few slaveholders allowed marriage and it came to their own advantage such as profit and harmony on plantations. Slaves that got to be parents taught their children to be discreet and compliant with the whites to avoid trouble and survive. Within these lessons, they told stories including the Brer Rabbit who “outwitted those that went after him”. Moreover, the slave community created songs that emphasize the harshness of their circumstances. These customs gave them a sense of identity and community. Simultaneously, free blacks also existed. Most of these free blacks gained their freedom through manumission. Within their freedom, most went back to reunite with families. Some free blacks
Anti Slavery arguments believed the practice of slavery lacks ethical values and is in opposition to the values defined in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. John Brown’s narrative reflects the lack of such values (Corbett et al. 12.2). Contradictory to the anti-slavery arguments, Pro-slavery arguments included a belief of not a necessary evil but as a necessary good. George Fitzhugh argued just this as he contributed to the defense of slavery with his book Sociology for the South (Corbett et al. 12.3). As a southern writer, Fitzhugh believed slavery did not just benefit society but the slaves themselves. Apart from Fitzhugh, Louis Agassiz developed the idea of polygenism, “the idea that different human races came from separate origins” to codify racism. More specifically, this idea claimed that the “Negro” originated from the descent of the Greeks and chimpanzees, thus making them inferior. This reveals the South’s ‘scientific’ efforts to validate the practice of …show more content…
Some slaves actually used the idea of paternalism to their own advantage. Most hid their intelligence and acted ignorantly. Through this method, they were able to slow down the labor-intensive work for the day. Slaveholders used abusive disciplines such as whipping and shackles. Therefore, slaves lived in constant fear of physical violence and separation from family and friends. Slaves did not have the same privilege of being close to their family members as any other family did. When being sold, in most occasions mothers were separated from their own children and never saw them again. Even under the Southern law, slaves did not have the privilege to marry. Very few slaveholders allowed marriage and it came to their own advantage such as profit and harmony on plantations. Slaves that got to be parents taught their children to be discreet and compliant with the whites to avoid trouble and survive. Within these lessons, they told stories including the Brer Rabbit who “outwitted those that went after him”. Moreover, the slave community created songs that emphasize the harshness of their circumstances. These customs gave them a sense of identity and community. Simultaneously, free blacks also existed. Most of these free blacks gained their freedom through manumission. Within their freedom, most went back to reunite with families. Some free blacks