Peculiar Institution

• Created by John C. Calhoun

• Was a euphemism used to avoid directly naming slavery

• Based on the belief that slavery was beneficial to US + slaves

Cotton Kingdom

• 1800-1865

• Focused on the importance of cotton to Southern economies

• Southern economies had ideally suited climate for cash crops

• Inventions like the cotton gin + screw press made cotton production more efficient

• Raw material required by Britain + Northern textile factories

Mason-Dixon Line

• Border between Maryland + Pennsylvania

• Divided North + South to determine if territories were slave or free states

Cotton Gin

• 1793

• Invented by Eli Whitney

• Used to quickly + efficiently produce more cotton

Slave Codes

• Tolerated harsh punishment + murder of slaves

• Enforced white supremacy

• Slaves were forbidden from owning their own property or traveling freely

• 1833 - Slave states toughened slave codes

Manumission

• Formal freeing of slaves

• Manumission laws were eventually tightened to prevent increase of free African American population

• Practiced by few slave owners (most kept slaves until they died)

Amistad

• 1839 - Slaves revolted on slave ship Amistad

• Helped by John Q. Adams

• After securing their freedom, they returned to Sierra Leone

Christian Paternalism

• Southern revivals shared by slaves + slave owners

• Practicers of Christian paternalism treated their slaves better BUT were against manumission

• Believed that treating their slaves better would lead them to be more efficient + produce more cotton

Gabriel Prosser

• 1800 - 1st leader of slave insurrection

• When his plans were leaked to the governor of Virginia, he was hanged

Denmark Vesey

• Purchased his education + freedom

• After reading abolitionist literature, he became very dissatisfied with slavery

• 1822 - When it was discovered that he was planning a slave revolt, he was hanged

• Inspired John Brown

Nat Turner

• Led a successful slave uprising

• 1831 - After the rebellion he was captured and hanged

• Resulted in the South tightening their slave codes

Frederick Douglass

• Abolitionist, author, orator

• 1841 - Wrote famous abolitionist speeches

• 1845 - Wrote Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

• Published the North Star, an abolitionist newspaper

• Advisor to John Brown + Abraham Lincoln

• Inspired abolitionists

Sojourner Truth

• Abolitionist orator

• 1826 - Escaped from slavery

• 1851 - Attended women’s rights convention

Negro Spirituals

• Combination of African + American influences

• Used to mix African culture + the experience of being a slave

• Kept spirits high while slaves were forced to work in the fields

• Eventually used to send coded messages in the Underground Railroad

Slave Society

• The more property and slaves a person owned, the more powerful they were

• Slave posses were used to capture escaped slaves

• Acceptance of “peculiar institution”

Black Codes

• Kept free African Americans “in their place”

• Prevented slave uprisings

• Led to much racism + discrimination

Hinton R. Helper

• __1857 __- Wrote The Impending Crisis of the South

  • Attacked slave owners

  • Believed slave states had a weak economy compared to free states

  • Abolitionist message

• Was still racist, as he wanted to deport African Americans to Africa

Positive Good Theory

• Created by John C. Calhoun

• Belief that slaves’ lives were “better” than Africans’ + Northern factory workers’ lives

• Belief that African Americans needed the guidance of whites, which made them acceptable to serve as slaves

George Fitzhugh

• Promoter of the positive good theory

• Believed that a slave society was an ideal society

• Wanted the expansion of slavery

• 1854 - Wrote Sociology for the South

Elijah P. Lovejoy

• Editor + publisher of an abolitionist newspaper

• Killed by a mob in 1837

William Lloyd Garrison

• 1831 - Published The Liberator, an abolitionist newspaper

• Abolitionist societies

• Fully supported Civil War

• Beliefs in prohibition + women’s rights

Harriet Tubman

• 1849 - Escaped slavery

• Leader of the Underground Railroad

• Guided 300+ slaves to freedom

• Nicknamed Moses

Underground Railroad

• 1840 - Supported emancipation of slaves

• 1830-1860 - Helped 50,000+ slaves escape

• Slaves were helped along by Quakers + abolitionists

• Personal liberty laws protected escaped slaves

American Colonization Society

• Founded in 1816

• Had the goal of transporting free African Americans to Africa

• The Nat Turner rebellion eventually shut down African emigration

BIG PICTURE

• Slavery + cotton shaped Southern society

• African slavery - “Positive good”

• Slaves developed unique culture

• Abolitionists called for end to slavery

• South - Pro-slavery + political tactics

• Chesapeake-Leopard Affair

  • Impressment - Captured + forced Americans into British Navy

  • HMS Leopard (Britain) attacked USS Chesapeake (US)

  • Jefferson protested to Britain → No effect (continued impressment)

• Jefferson’s philosophy

  • Limit power of federal gov’t

  • Less gov’t spending (reduced size of military)

  • Pay off debts

  • Lowered tariffs + got rid of excise taxes

• Effects of the War of 1812

  • NA lost land + pushed West

  • Expanded slavery + cotton production in South

  • No territory gained/lost by US + England

  • US became economically self-reliant + increased manufacturing

  • **Era of Good Feelings - One political party → No party conflict

• Naval problems

  • Barbary pirates of Tripoli - Preyed on American + European commercial vessels

  • 1805 - Jefferson sent Navy + Marines to stop attacks