Slavery In The South Vs South Essay

Slavery and Sectionalism: North Against South During the 1800s, southerners defended the institution for its productive qualities, while northern states opposed slavery for its immorality. Positive aspects of slavery, including overall economic growth and the accessibility of crop production, contrasted with its negative aspects in the treatment of slaves and financial insecurity. The South sided with slavery due to its beneficial traits, as well as the southern social structure and boost for the economy. However, the North protested against slavery for its disadvantages, since the south hurt land value, yielded huge expenses and instability in monopolies, and most importantly the treatment of black slaves. Overall, their views clashed during

Since the creation of the cotton gin, cotton was the most important plantation crop. With the possibility for mass production of cotton products, the need for labor increased as well, making slavery the most viable option. The cotton produced by plantations fueled northern manufacturing, forcing the north to rely on the south for economic growth. With the cotton economy depending on slavery, cotton became a “great staple crop” that is crucial in the south since it “cannot be carried on in any portion of our country where there are not slaves” (Doc B). Although dependent on slavery, the economic growth was overall beneficial, and would continue with southern slave state plantations, and the Westward expansion adding possible slave states to increase production. Slavery’s power was large enough that it was “an important element of… political power… the basis upon which rests the prosperity and wealth of most of these States” (Doc I). Therefore, the influence of slavery on economic stability translates to political stability and overall prosperity. From these cases, the South began to look at slavery for its benefits to American

The economy, though growing, was unstable since the industrialization in America was dependent on plantations. Being monopolistic, plantations would set prices due to the demand of Americans and the British, thus relying on the world’s conditions. The price for slaves was immense, more than $1,800 to maintain a slave, and the excessive use of land for cotton hindered the land’s agricultural value, forcing people to move westward towards more viable land. While the South gained decent profit after factoring in the expenses, the North gained more wealth from the manufacturing of cotton goods. Slaves were still likely to rebel, in the cases of Nat Turner’s rebellion and Denmark Vessey, Turner leading an uprising against Virginians, and Vessey planning a rebellion in Charleston. Slaves all wanted freedom, and would runaway, sabotage equipment, do minimal work, or even poison their masters. Although free blacks in the south were not subjected to torment, they could be hijacked and sent to a plantation because all blacks were presumed to be slaves, and proof of freedom was ignored. (Doc C). The overall financial instability and mistreatment of not only slaves, but also black people in general, contributed to the reasoning behind the North’s abolitionist