In the early 1800's, the differences between the north and south grew. The economics, culture, and politics of the two regions made them sometimes feel like two different countries. The economy in the north was more industrialized than in the south. Many northerners worked in factories making manufactured goods. The north did not use slave labor.
The southern economy was primarily based on farming. It was a region with many farms and plantations. Owners of the large farms, called plantations, used to slave labor.
In the north, new textile factories were built to make cotton clothing. This created more demand for cotton from the south and thanks to Eli Whitney's cotton gin, cotton was now a very profitable business.
Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin in 1794. This machine used a system of rollers, teeth, and brushes to quickly remove the seeds from the cotton balls. Now, more cotton could be sold faster. The invention of the Cotton Gin allowed plantation owners in the south to speed up their cotton harvest so that workers in the northern factories could make more cotton goods. Plantation owners, who only made up about 3% of the south population, made even more profits. In the deep South, cotton became "King Cotton."
To increase cotton production, farmers across the south expanded their farms into large plantations. Cotton became the most important crop in the United States. Plantation owners bought more slaves to pick and process the cotton.
The south was a rural region, with most people living and working on farms. The south had some cities, but they were not as big as the cities in the north that had large factories.
Society in the Antebellum South included three main groups:
plantation owners
poor white farmers
slaves
Most white southerners did not own slaves. However, the wealthy white plantation owners, who did own slaves, dominated southern society.
During the early 1800s, the north and south were divided over the slavery issue. In the north, industrialization was on the rise and slavery was almost gone. Inspired by the Second Great Awakening, Abolitionists recognized that slavery was immoral and inhumane and wanted to end what was left of it. Northern leaders worked to prevent the spread of slavery into western territories that were joining the United States.
In the south, white plantation owners supported the election of proslavery representatives to the US Congress. Senators such as John C. Calhoun fought for the principles of states rights. He argued that the federal government had no right to interfere in the southern way of life, including slavery.
Southern leaders fought to bring slavery to the western territories. Many planters wanted to expand into western land and bring slaves with them. They also wanted to be able to sell slaves to farmers in western territories.
Wealthy plantation owners dominated national, state, and local politics. State and local governments passed laws to strictly control slaves, known as the Slave Codes.
Slave Codes:
Were used to prevent slave rebellions and escapes
Targeted enslaved people but also affected free African Americans
Set penalties for slave owner who did not enforce the Slave Codes
Plantation life for all slaves was harsh and cruel, the slaves were treated differently depending on their role. At the top of the slave society were house slaves who cooked, cleaned, and cared for children. Below them were skilled workers, such as carpenters and blacksmiths. At the bottom where the slaves who worked in the fields picking cotton, they were the slaves who suffered the most in the harsh plantation life.
Slaves had no rights or privacy. They could be bought or sold at any time, which often tore families apart. Any slaves trying to escape could be tortured or killed period. Slaves often faced many health problems. Their diet and medical treatment were poor. The death rate of enslaved children was high, half of all enslave babies died before their first birthday.
Enslaved people had to find ways to adapt to their terrible situations. Many did so through cultural means such as creating music, folklore, and through strong bonds within family and community. Others wanted to resist. Many enslaved people dealt with their bondage in different ways.
There were different forms of resistance. Breaking machinery or destroying crops in secret, working very slowly or pretending not to know how to do things, were forms of passive resistance to slavery. While some slaves used overt forms of resistance such as poisoning their owners, starting a rebellion, or running away to freedom in the north, usually with the help of people who were opposed to slavery.