In James Oakes, the Ruling Race, the author tackles many of the toughest questions that arose in southern history. In the Ruling Race, Oakes argues against Eugene Genovese ' American slavery 's ideology of paternalism. The author believes that paternalism died by the end of the colonial era and as a result, there came new slaveholders who were diverse, and influenced by the materialistic buildup in the South due to their search for economic opportunity. Oakes views most slave owners as greedy capitalists who embraced the marketplace. When Oakes says “the ideology and culture of slaveholding were not fully developed when Americans declared their independence from Great Britain” (p.34) we see that paternalism is viewed by Oakes as a superior …show more content…
Oakes argues that the slaveholding class consisted of diverse ethnic groups shaped by different political, ideological, economic, and demographic development (ix). Due to the opportunities for social mobility and personal gain, the slaveholders did not believe slavery conflicted with their democratic ideals. Oakes depicts the slaveholding class as economic opportunists who were in pursuit of success, social mobility, territorial expansion, and equal opportunity for land and slaves. The slave owners were greedy in pushing southward and westward, while believing that political democracy and a capitalist economy for white Americans assured traditions of freedom and liberty. More than half of the slave owners possessed five slaves or fewer. Slave owners consisted of more than just white males, they also included free blacks, Native Americans, mulattos, immigrants, and women owned slaves. Women, who inherited slaves from their husbands, represented ten percent of the slaveholding class (50). According to Oakes, “the typical master did not really exist” (51), the average slaveholder was about forty-four years old, most likely male and white, and by 1850 almost always native-born in the South …show more content…
The average slaveholder was a =capitalist continually on the move and trying to improve one’s self. Slaves were a commodity to be used, as were the slaveholders ' democratic politics and the expansion south and westward in the United States. The differences between North and South were less prominent than the similarities. The master-slave relationship made the South different. Southerners enslaved black people, while white Americans from North embraced anti-black racism. There was a constant tension characterized through slavery between slaves and masters. Slaves made the world of the masters and constantly threatened to unmake
The North is popularly considered the catalyst of the abolitionist movement in antebellum America and is often glorified in its struggle against slavery; however, a lesser-known installment of the Northern involvement during this era is one of its complicity in the development of a “science” of race that helped to rationalize and justify slavery and racism throughout America. The economic livelihood of the North was dependent on the fruits of slave labor and thus the North, albeit with some reluctance, inherently conceded to tolerate slavery and moreover embarked on a quest to sustain and legitimize the institution through scientific research. Racism began to progress significantly following the American Revolution after which Thomas Jefferson himself penned Notes on the State of Virginia, a document in which he voiced his philosophy on black inferiority, suggesting that not even the laws of nature could alter it. Subsequent to Jefferson’s notes, breakthroughs in phrenological and ethnological study became fundamental in bolstering and substantiating the apologue of racial inadequacy directed at blacks. Throughout history, slavery was indiscriminate of race and the prospect acquiring freedom not impossible; America, both North and South, became an exception to the perennial system virtually guaranteeing perpetual helotry for not only current slaves but also their progeny.
Between 1800 and 1860 slavery in the American South had become a ‘peculiar institution’ during these times. Although it may have seemed that the worst was over when it came to slavery, it had just begun. The time gap within 1800 and 1860 had slavery at an all time high from what it looks like. As soon as the cotton production had become a long staple trade source it gave more reason for slavery to exist. Varieties of slavery were instituted as well, especially once international slave trading was banned in America after 1808, they had to think of a way to keep it going – which they did. Nonetheless, slavery in the American South had never declined; it may have just come to a halt for a long while, but during this time between 1800 and 1860, it shows it could have been at an all time high.
The next few paragraphs will compare blacks in the north to blacks in the south in the 1800’s. In either location blacks were thought of as incompetent and inferior. The next few paragraphs will explain each group’s lifestyle and manner of living.
Capitalism has always been a double edge sword for the United States. It began as the driving force in pushing along economic growth, but it came at the price of the African society. It was implied, and enforced, that Africans were of a lesser class through the means in which they were "used" by the slave owners to promote their wealth and stature. The larger their plantation, the wealthier and more successful people were seen. But in order to do this, the plantation owners needed workers, but if they had to pay workers reasonable wages, they could not yield a profit. Also, in the South, it was hard, rough work in the hot sun and very few whites were willing to do the work, therefore, most plantation owners purchased slaves to work the land. The plantation owner gave the slaves shelter and a small food allowance as a salary. Thereby, the plantation owner "saved" his money to invest in more land, which of course required more slaves to continue to yield a larger profit. An economic cycle was created between plantation owner and slave, one that would take generations to end. Slaves were now a necessity on the larger plantations to work the fields. They were pieces of property that quickly transformed into required elements of plantation machinery. African slaves were regarded as a large, dependable, and permanent source of 'cheap labor' because slaves rarely ran away and when caught they were severely punished. The creation of the plantation system of farming were essential factors in maintaining the idea of slavery.
The author goes on to describe antebellum slavery. During this time he describes slavery as a massive expansion. He expresses this knowledge through numbers of slaves and overwhelming facts. At this time cotton boosted the economy of all the slave states, cotton producing or not. Cotton created an intense demand for slave labor and therefore slave prices rose to an all time high. Slave trading was very traumatic for the slaves, being separated from the only thing they knew. Some lived on plantations under a watchful eye and others worked right beside their owners. Slaves on large plantations usually worked in gangs, and there were better positions to work then others. Some gangs were separated into groups of lighter work, consisting of men and woman. Other gangs weren't so lucky and were assigned to hard labor.
...stocracy to indirectly force poor blacks into working as tenant farmers or sharecroppers, basically slavery by a different name. As planters needed more land and workers to keep up with the demand for cotton, they looked to the Gulf Coast and Mexico as possible territory for increased cotton cultivation. The postwar exploitation of freedmen and the desire of southern planters to exploit Mexico in order to increase cotton production both demonstrate the materialism and greed of the southern aristocracy.
Slavery in the eighteenth century was worst for African Americans. Observers of slaves suggested that slave characteristics like: clumsiness, untidiness, littleness, destructiveness, and inability to learn the white people were “better.” Despite white society's belief that slaves were nothing more than laborers when in fact they were a part of an elaborate and well defined social structure that gave them identity and sustained them in their silent protest.
[Slaves] seemed to think that the greatness of their master was transferable to themselves” (Douglass 867). Consequently, slaves start to identify with their master rather than with other slaves by becoming prejudiced of other slaves whose masters were not as wealthy or as nice as theirs, thereby falling into the traps of the white in which slaves start to lose their
Levine noted, “The richest 5 percent of northern adults held more than half the regions total property.” In the South “the chasm separating the average slaveholder and the average farm-operating nonslaverholder in the cotton kingdom was huge.” The southern economy was based heavily on slavery and slave labor, but even with production increasing, the percentage of southerners who owner slaves had been declining. Levine indicated, “a shrinking portion if the southern whites owned slaves: 36 percent in 1830…and only 26 percent by 1860.” The class divisions in each economy were very similar. The northern economic system produced a struggle between worker and capitalist, while it was between rich whites and poor whites in the South. In fact, prior to the war, poor northerners were often attracted to the platform of Democrats from the South. However, the split during the Civil War did reflect these economic imbalances, as one might expect. The poor did not unite against the rich; instead they joined both the Union and Confederate armies voluntarily in great numbers. Holt pointed out, “[T]he rank and file of each army was overwhelmingly composed of farmers, skilled workers, and urban and rural laborers.” The poor non-slaveholding whites were increasingly receiving a disproportionate piece of the southern slave economy and had “to compete with slaves as well as poorly
Slave-owners looked upon the African Americans as lesser people who were in desperate need of support. They were not capable of surviving on their own without white guidance (Boston). Dr. Flint, the master over the plantation where Harriet Jacobs lived showed a great example of paternalism. He cared for Harriet but in a possessive way to which he continuously sought the woman for his personal needs. For Dr. Flint, the slaves he owned should be grateful towards him and be willing to do what he asked with no rebuttal. This wasn’t the case with Harriet. She simply refused him at every chance which only angered the slaveholder. Jacobs resisted the doctor and his paternalistic ways. Harriet Jacobs sheds light onto the self-interest that drives the paternalism displayed by the masters. The slaves were property and who wanted to showcase poorly groomed property? If there was someone visiting, the slaves, except for those within the house, would be hidden away and those who worked within the master’s home would dawn nicer clothes and better meals would be prepared all in a show for the
There were three different types of social or slave classes. The first class consisted of the city slaves, who were primarily used as domestic labor. They worked around the houses or mansions of their wealthy masters; they were called the aristocrat slaves. The first class slaves could read and write, for they quickly noticed the language in the home setting (Dailylife). The second class was the town slaves. They were not just domestic slaves of the common citizen, but also skilled labor. They worked as mechanics, laborers, washwomen, etc. They, likewise, were somewhat educated. They were considered every freedman’s right hand man. In addition, they were sometimes hired and paid for their work. The payment was little, but a step toward abolishment. The final and largest slave class consisted of the field or rural slaves. They had little to no education and were primarily used as unskilled manual laborers. They were far below the two upper classes (Commager 467-469). The conditions they lived in were horrible, and their treatment was brutal (Boston; Conditions).
Although he differentiates the practices of economic policy between the North and the South accurately, Fitzhugh fails to interpret what is best for the working future for the American negro due to his lack of insight on slave life. He proposes that there needs to be a protective and governing body over slaves that is not provided in the corrupted North. Fitzhugh considers the freedom and capitalistic influences in the North are responsible for preventing negroes from having the shielded and guaranteed quality of life that the South already allows. George Fitzhugh asserts his reasoning, declaring, “But our Southern slavery has become a benign and protective institution, and our negroes are confessedly better off than any free laboring population in the world” (Fitzhugh, 21.4). His rationale for the best course of action for negroes fails to incorporate education, health care and civil rights that the North promotes in their society. Fitzhugh is absolutely wrong with his anti-abolition opinion; however, he does include a pro-black position intended to financially satisfy the black population. Including an incentive to blacks in this piece reflects the unorthodox approach of Southerners who tend to usually not consider the livelihood of negro slaves. Indeed his appeal is somewhat effective, it
Slavery was the core of the North and South’s conflict. Slavery has existed in the New World since the seventeenth century prior to it being exclusive to race. During those times there were few social and political concerns about slavery. Initially, slaves were considered indentured servants who will eventually be set free after paying their debt(s) to the owner. In some cases, the owners were African with white servants. However, over time the slavery became exclusive to Africans and was no limited to a specific timeframe, but life. In addition, the treatment of slaves worsens from the Atlantic Slave trade to th...
Beginning in the 1830s, white abolitionists attempted to prove that American slaves suffered physically, emotionally, and spiritually at the hands of those who claimed their ownership (Pierson, 2005). Like those that were seen in our American literature text book. Not only did they suffer from those things, but they also had trouble with their identity once they moved on or was freed from slavery, that’s why we seen a lot of the former slaves changing their identity. Abolitionists were determined to educate the public on how badly slaves were being treated. They even argued the basic facts of Southern plantation life such as slave holders divided families, legalized rape, and did not recognize slave marriages as legitimate (Pierson, 2005). In the interregional slave trade, hundreds of thousands of slaves were move long distance from their birthplace and original homes as the slave economy migrated from the eastern seaboards to Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas (Thornton...
Slavery has been a part of human practices for centuries and dates back to the world’s ancient civilizations. In order for us to recognize modern day slavery we must take a look and understand slavery in the American south before the 1860’s, also known as antebellum slavery. Bouvier’s Law Dictionary defines a slave as, “a man who is by law deprived of his liberty for life, and becomes the property of another” (B.J.R, pg. 479). In the period of antebellum slavery, African Americans were enslaved on small farms, large plantations, in cities and towns, homes, out on fields, industries and transportation. By law, slaves were the perso...