The impact of slavery in the 1800's

Introduction

The institution of slavery in America's southern states was based primarily in economics rather than some inherent adoration of the practice itself. When the Mason-Dixon line was created in the 1760s, Eli Whitney's revolutionary cotton gin (which would eventually solidify slavery in the South) has not yet been created. Still, despite this fact, there were lines being drawn between the more industrial-based economy of the North and the agricultural economy of the South. Slavery formed the backbone of the South economically and as it became more widespread after Whitney's invention, it became just as much the political and social basis of Southern identity as well. Although there are cases of early abolitionist movements rooted in the Southern states, it was primarily a Northern political goal that despite all efforts wasn't realized until after the devastation of the Civil War and eventually with the Thirteenth Amendment. Without the ability to have a large force of unpaid and very inexpensive bodies to cultivate the fields, it seems quite certain that the South would have never enjoyed the kind of economic success that was present before the Civil War.

The impact of slavery in the 1800''s

The treatment of slaves was generally deplorable and even the kindest plantation masters were more concerned with making a profit than making sure their slaves were treated well. With only a minimal amount of money required to actually purchase and maintain slaves, this became the best from of labor and allowed many owners of plantations to become very wealthy. Without slavery however, it is more likely that these plantation owners would be too busy working the fields to have the time to go off to defend the practice politically.

Contrary to what many might believe, the principal crop in the South during the beginning of the practice of slavery was not cotton, but was rather based on a host of other agricultural products that would eventually fall by the wayside in terms of mass cultivation. Although cotton was a part of the agricultural yield, crops such as rice, indigo, and tobacco were the most cultivated and although tobacco remained a primary crop as well, the need for cotton eventually replaced the reliance on tobacco as a main product. It wasn't until the invention of Eli Whitney's cotton gin that the Southern cotton industry began to boom. With this invention, southern plantations were able to produce far more in a shorter amount of time. This led to more slaves being required to keep up with the ever-present demand for cotton, particularly by the Northern states. Along with this greater potential to yield more cotton came a growing economic dependence on slavery since without such free labor there would never have been a cotton industry as powerful as the one that had developed in the years following the 1793 introduction of the cotton gin.

The plantation was a combination factory, village and police precinct. The most obvious characteristic was the oppressive regime placed on the slaves. One example ...