Chapter 11 - The Peculiar Institution PDF

Chapter 11 - The Peculiar Institution 11.1 - The Old South As more cotton is grown slaves are more desirable Price of slaves increased → slave auctions instead of slave sales Treatment like animals or cattles (poked, prodded, examined, tests of strength) Harder...

Chapter 11 - The Peculiar Institution 11.1 - The Old South As more cotton is grown slaves are more desirable Price of slaves increased → slave auctions instead of slave sales Treatment like animals or cattles (poked, prodded, examined, tests of strength) Harder to buy slaves often, not replaceable (treatment of slaves improved; nutrition, doctors...) Fredrick Douglas - 1st influential African American leader - Born into slavery, learned to read and escaped (slaves couldn’t learn to read and write) - From Maryland to the North (short distance) - most slaves couldn’t run Mason-Dixon Line: line that separates slaves states from free states Slaves weren’t allowed to read and write (communication and information) Frederick Douglass gives speeches and write books (people thought African Americans didn’t have ability for intelligence) Cotton is King Cotton begins to take over sugar globally ¾ of cotton is grown in the US - Invention 1803 - cotton is the US’ biggest export 1860 - cotton was making more money than all other exports combined Percentage of slaves that are free begins to increase Slavery and the Nation Even though the South produces cotton, the North stills benefits from slave labor South grows cotton → North processes and uses cotton The Southern Economy The South only produces 10% of manufactured goods - Crashes after the abolishment of slavery Plain Folk of the Old South Only ¼ of people in the South owned slaves Not very widespread except for on plantations The Planter Class Planters - families with more than 20 slaves Mostly along the MIssissippi River (plantations) The Proslavery Argument Argument used by slaveowners to justify the use of slaves - Biblical  - Every major group has used slaves (Romans, etc.) White Guardianship - Slaveowners are parents and slaves are kids - African Americans need someone to take care of them (believed they had lower intellect) Argued that being a slaves was better than being a factory owner in the North - Irish immigrants are working in factories and living in poverty (free food, housing, etc.) Not very convincing to Northerners (trying to justify actions to themselves) 11.2 - Life under Slavery Slaves and the Law There are no states where slaves have equality under the law slaves can't get married, cant vote, can't testify against white people in court, can't leave plantions without permission (laws aren't heavily enforced) 1855 Missouri - court case - Cilia (slave woman) went to court for killing her owner after being assaulted by him - Ordered to be executed and owner’s family defended her because she was pregnant - Was executed after she gave birth Conditions of Slave Life Slaves in the US lived longer than those in the Caribbean - Better nutrition, “healthcare” Slave import was banned →value went up →more expensive →owners wanted them alive Mulatto - mixed race, slave mom and white dad - More likely to do domestic work, then in the fields Free Blacks in the Old South you could own land and legally get married (depending on the state) Hd to carry a certificate showing that you weren't a slave Older, unproductive slave mothers looked after the children Slave Labor Primary labor system 90% of men and 75% of women - Other men were blacksmiths, other women were domestic workers Gang Labor and Task Labor Gang labor - groups of 20 - 25 slaves that worked together as a group - Worked together almost everyday (from morning till night) - In cotton areas - No motivation (still have to work the same amount of time) Task System - Slaves given a list of tasks to complete each day (once finished you’re done) - Everywhere else (tobacco and rice areas) - Motivation to finish quickly  - Leisure when they are done Maintaining Order Slave owners have complete power to punish slaves Most slaves were punished at some point in their life - Brutality not so common - Slave owners just sold troublesome slaves Provide incentives for slaves to keep working (ex. marriage) The Slave Family Family became the center of community Werent allowed to legally get married → married informally - Owners wanted slaves to get married (children-workers, more incentive to work) Stayed married for life (strong bonds) The Threat of Sale ⅔ of families were kept together 10% if kids were sold away from parents Slave owners want to keep people together v. sellers just want to make money Gender Roles Among Slaves Men are more likely to be separated from family - Women had to fill roles Generally slaves took care of each other Slave Religion Likely to be baptist or methodist Slave preachers spread optimism and positive verses of bibles (slaves gaining freedom) Sometimes there are traveling white preachers (submissive,etc.) 11.4 - Fugitive Slaves Resistance to Slavery Slaves resistance are rare in the US, not very successful, no weapons, lacking numbers Only two slaves rebellions suceeded Silent sabotage - thing slaves do to make their lives easier - Loosen bolts on plow (falls apart, doesn’t work) - Pretend to be sick - Steal food Large scale resistance were not very common Only slaves that run away are slaves that didn’t have families - Women less likely to run away (kids) Slavery not very harsh in New Orleans (French city) → some slaves were able to run away Harriet Tubman helped slaves escape using the North Star Only 4 slaves revolts (only 2 executed, other just planned) Denmark Vessy - last name of his owner - Bought freedom with raffle tickets - Tried to buy his wife and kids (owner refused to sell) → plans a rebellion Steal boats from Louisiana and sail to Haiti (was put off because of storms) Vessy and 35 people are hanged Nat Turner’s Rebellion Last large slave rebellion (30 yrs before civil war) Nat Turner - black preacher in Virginia - Dream from god to start a rebellion - Total of 80 slaves killed about 35 slave owners All executed afterward Results in stricter laws for slaves and free blacks in Virginia Black men can’t be preachers, or own guns  Chapter 10 - Democracy in America 10.1 - The Triumph of Democracy Property and Democracy We have higher percentage of voters (freer than rest of the world) After the colonies were established (no states require property to vote) - Some did but died out over time The Dorr War In Rhode Island, you needed $134 worth of property (most middle class could vote) - Last state to abolish property requirements Some people didn’t meet the qualifications though People got together and formed a conference → People’s Constitution - No more property to vote - Elected new Governor: Dorr No real fighting (people lose) Dorr goes to jail Alexis de Tocqueville on Democracy Comes from France (after revolution) to study our prison system Writes a book about democracy in America - Liberty: freedom from an oppressive government - Egalitarianism: social and economic equality; equal opportunity - Individualism: people are free to pursue their own goals and do what they want - Populism: public is good and can be trusted to choose good leaders - Laissez faire: the government stays out of the economy (don't get to pick who succeeds) A Racial Democracy All these rights only extend to white men African Americans could only vote in New England (small pop.) Still weren’t free or equal with white men 10.2 - Nationalism and Its Discontents The Bank of America charter had expired by Hamilton (Federalists) Federalist Party had fizzled out (Republicans don’t like the bank) - Run by private corporations Expired in 1811 (before War of 1812) - Hard to fund war without Bank Republicans decide to implement new System The American System Madison wants implement a new American System Madison’s American System - A new Bank of the United States - New rules and passed by Congress - New tariffs - High tax on foreign goods to promote American goods - Government should fund infrastructure (roads and canals) - Private companies can’t afford it - Decides it is unconstitutional and vetoes it (good for people, constitutional) Banks and Money 2nd Bank of the United States is just like the first The Panic of 1819 Every 20 years there is an economic depression during this time Caused by Bank of the United States - People want loans to buy land out west - Money is backed by gold or silver Didn’t have enough money to provides (paper money corresponds ro real gold) - Bank doesn’t have enough money after time - Money isn’t backed by gold (means nothing) Causes large scale inflation States try to tax Bank of the United States The Missouri Controversy Missouri has a large enough petition to become a state - Allowed to write state constitutions Missouri has 10,000 slaves (argument about adding a slave state) - Tips the balance, South would get more electoral votes Era of Good Feelings (not strict political parties, everyone was Republican) Ends during slavery debate After 18 months, Vongress passes Missouri Compromise - Missouri can become a slave state - Maine will be established as a free state - Slavery is prohibited north of Missouri’s Southern border in the Louisiana territory Works in the short term, but not for long (Spanish American war adds a lot of new land) - Unbalnced for free states later on 10.3 - Nation, Section and Party The US and the Latin American Wars of Independence By the 1850s, many Latin American countries have gained independence from Europe Very few colonies still exist at this time United States develops a foreign policy The Monroe Doctrine Europe can’t create new colonies in the Americas - Once a country gains independence, you cant recolonize Europe cant be involved with new countries in the Americas - Economies, elections, etc. Americas will stay out of European affairs The Election of 1824 Still in the Eras of Good Feelings (no aggressive political parties) Jackson(fought in the Battle of New Orleans), National support John Quincy Adams (experience in Congress and wrote Monroe Doctrine), North support William Crayford (Secretary of Treasury, focus on states’ rights), Henry Clay (Kentucky, Speaker of the House), West support No one wins majority (Congress gets to choose from top 3) 4th place oversees the vote (Henry Clay) - Openly supports John Quincy Adams Adams is more educated than Jackson (war hero) - safe bet John Quincy Adams win and chooses Henry Clay as Secretary of State (corrupt bargain) - Every past secretary of state has become president Martin Van Buren and the Democratic Party Martin Van Buren establishes Democratic Party - Focuses on good of the party Starts the rise of modern day political parties Gain the support of the public (first party) More organized than the eventual Whig Party The Election of 1828 Andrew Jackson won the election by majority Changed a lot of things (Jacksonian Democracy) 10.4 - The Age of Jackson The Party System Inaugurated in DC (very formal, people could come by and visit you; jobs) People follow Jackson to white house to throw him a party (relatable, not an elite) Broke everything inside (china, couches, rug, etc.) → Jackson spent the night at a hotel Jackson is first democrat elected (first president part of an organized party) Spoil system - reward supporters by giving them political jobs - Replaced 10% of government with his friends (no qualifications required) Gave stump speeches - take on same main points each time you give the speeches Democrats and Whigs Democrats supporters - Poor and middle class - Farmers - Southerners - States’ rights Whigs supporters - People in cities - People in the Northeast - Wealthy elite - Sam supporters as Federalists - Farmers around the Great Lakes (canals, roads, infrastructure) Voting was done publicly It was easy to vote twice Voting only happened on a single day (people in rural areas were less likely to vote) South Carolina and Nullification 1888 - new tariff on imports South Carolina - Tariff of Abominations - Everything imported costs more - All products made in North and must be shipped to South (costs more due to shipping) Government is supporting the North more than the South - Factories and larger population South Carolina threatens to nullify any new tariffs from the federal government - Government isn’t sure what is legal When new tariff comes, South carolina decides not to follow it Congress and Jackson pass the force bill - the government can use the army to collect taxes Calhoun’s Political Theory John C. Calhoun is vice president Supports the idea of nullification Jackson and Calhoun oppose each other Jackson pushes him aside and works with Martin Van Buren The Nullification Crisis Henry Clay and Clahoun create a compromise tariff (South Carolina agrees) - South Carolina is the first state to secede in Civil War Indian Removal Southern states want to take land away from the Native Americans to create plantations 5 Civilized Tribes: Chicksaw, Seminoles, Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek Indian Removal Act is passed by Congress (arent removed until Van Buren) Worcester v. Georgia Supreme Court Case - Georgia tries to take land from Cherokee Supreme Court ( John Marshall) rules in favor - Recognize Native Americans as distinct group (have rights within their groups) - Only the federal government can deal with Native Americans (government to gov.) - The government doesn’t have the right to take Native American rights Andrew Jackson: “John Marshall has made his decision so let him enforce it” - Takes land anyways (doesn’t break a law) - No consequences Seminoles try to fight back, some hide in swaps other are sent to Oklahoma Trail of Tears (25% percent die on journey) 10.5 - The BankWar and After Biddle’s Bank The Bank was very disliked (Panic of 1819, etc.) Nicholas Biddle is in charge of the US Bank - Stabilized economy in 1820s Democrats still didn’t like the bank Andrew Jackson called the bank → nonproducers (scam artists) Producers → farmers, blacksmiths, etc. Banks make money off of middle and lower class that can’t pay in cash Nicholas Biddles argues that Bank of US could destroy state banks - Should any institution have that much power and authority? Biddle wants Congress to recharter the bank in 1832 (doesn’t expire until 1836) - Wants to avoid the uncertainty of the election (has friends in Congress) - Gets passed by Congress and Biddle bribes Jackson (support in exchange for recharter) Jackson vetoed the bank (champions of the American people) - Bank doesn’t get rechartered (ends in 1836) - Doesn’t want to wait for 3 years The Pet Banks and the Economy Jackson decides to remove all money from the Bank of US Secretary refuses (fires two men) until Roger Taney decides to agree (no where to put it) Money gets redistributed to state banks (each state has a bank) - Bank of US prints money and pays debts (states must print money) Roger Taney becomes leader of the Supreme Court States begin printing 15x more money than before → inflation The Panic of 1837 Massive inflation No country wants to accept American currency (stop buying American products) Van Buren in Office Starts only two months after Van Buren comes to office (bad reputation) Van Buren - founder of Democrats The Election of 1840 Van Buren runs for reelection Whigs don’t nominate Henry Clay →William Henry Harrison(general in war of 1812 v. Natives) - log cabin candidate (no political experience) Vice President: John Tyler (southern Democrats, under a Whig) William Henry Harrison gives inagural address in the rain (get pneumonia and dies) President becomes southern Democrats Congress is Whig and Tyler is Democrats - gets kicked out of party, no bills gets passed, cabinet resigns in protest