Antebellum South Carolin The Task System And The Gang System

Antebellum South Carolina was a time in United States history that is known for its major economic booms by the use of slave labor for harvesting cotton and other cash crops. The 50 years after the revolution was called the Antebellum Era and this was the time prior to the civil war. Whitney’s invention of the Cotton Gin allowed for faster processing of cotton, and was a major cause for the economic booms that emerged from South Carolina in the early 1800’s. This time period in United States history is and will always be a pivotal cause for why America is what it is today, in modern times.

In the early years of Antebellum South Carolina, the harvesting and processing cotton was very high in demand for the textile industries of the northern

The Task System and the Gang System. The Task system was common for rice and coastal cotton plantations. Once the assigned work was finished, workers/slaves were given the opportunity to do their own thing such as rest, help others, or manage their own small plot of land for their personal use. The Gang System however, was more ruthless, slaves worked from morning to nightfall. All slaves were constantly under the surveillance of an overseer and almost no slave negotiation for their own good. Some slaves even became very experienced in some fields of expertise such as carpentry, boatmen, and mechanics. These masteries gave certain degrees of freedom to their lives: for example, if a slave worked as a cotton hauler on a boat, little supervision would be used as they freighted cotton and other various exports up the Savannah River. If a slave’s skills were noted, then that slave might be rewarded some money issued by the plantation owner. They mostly saved up this money to buy themselves and loved ones out of slavery (South Carolina Journey pg: 123). Although, slaves created communities in their quarters. Slaves often sang songs and played music to restore their morality after a long a harsh day of work, they also practiced this to ease one’s sorrow. Slave families were often divided amongst plantations, therefore slaves had no choice but to bond with extended family members. Broomstick weddings were held because African slave matrimony was prohibited. The couple would simply jump over a broomstick, ultimately demonstrating their union to one another. These drives for some sort of dignity were seen as forms of resistance or rebellion (South Carolina Journey pg: 124). The looming fear of slave rebellion was serious because it could significantly cripple the planter division. Slaveowners were on high alert for any sign of rebellious activity or suspicion of revolt. A slave named George Wilson told his overseer of a