I Have a Few Questions

[My Name Is Kate]

Why was slavery largely confined to the South? Would slavery likely have died out if not for the invention of the cotton gin?

Why didn't Northerners make use of slavery in the factories? Or did they?

Was the increasing tension between the North and the South caused by what appeared on the surface to be the slavery issue, but may actually have been caused by the North's growing economic wealth compared to the South, and the North's closer connections with the Federal government, and greater reliance on and influence with the Federal government (for example, imposing tariffs/taxes on the South)?

Was it mainly geographical differences and availability of natural resources that caused the development of industry in the North, and the predominance of agriculture in the South, or was it also due to different ideologies in the North and South, and if so, how did that develop?

[Laurie Verge]

Wow, Kate, sounds like you're working on a thesis paper for college? You are definitely going to open a can of gummi worms on this one. Here you go, Wild Bill, this is sure to bring out the former college professor in you...

Roger, how many mega-bytes can this site hold for replies to this one?

[Bill Richter]

All right, Kate, this is a nickel and dime look at Am Hist before the Civil War. Most historian will not agree with it. Read my book, Sic Semper Tyrannis, and the intro to my book Historical Dictionary of the Old South.

Slavery was confined to the South for 2 reasons: There was large scale agriculture in the South in raising staple crops which called for a lot of black laborers, and slavery in the South was more than a mere labor system. It was also a social system and offered a quick manner in which to control and "civilize" a large black population while keeping them "in their place." This is why it was replaced by Jim Crow first in the North as they freed their slaves and the South after the Civil War when slavery was eradicated, to keep blacks in a secondary place in Am Society because they were different from whites.

Slavery in the North was called "free labor" and was slave-like in that the wages were low and working conditions substandard. Read Richard Hofstadter, Marx of the Master Class" on the theories of John C Calhoun and George Fitzhugh's essays on how slaves were treated better than Northern laborers.

The fight between the North and South was based on constitutional issues, namely the extraterritorial rights of slavery as defined in Art iv sect 2 of the Constitution of 1787, read Arthur Bestor, Paul Finkleman, William Cooper, among others. This is why Squatter Sovereignty was unconstitutional and Popular Sovereignty was constitutional. The North refused to see this problem and it caused the war. Remember that the N was willing to swallow slavery in the S in 1787 but their grandchildren were unwilling to keep the bargain. Read numerous essays in several books by M. E. Bradford.

There was a critical difference between N and S over resources. The N had few, the S had many, and this is why the British gave up on the N colonies during the Am Revolution and hoped to maintain the S colonies in the empire. It is also why men like John Adams supported Geo Washington as the commander of the Continental Army and Jefferson to write the Dec of Indep--ie, to keep the S in the Revol. Read Eugene Genovese, "the World the Slaveholders Made."

[Rob Wick]

Quote:Slavery in the North was called "free labor" and was slave-like in that the wages were low and working conditions substandard.

However, northern workers always had the freedom to leave whenever they wanted and not have to worry about someone carrying them back to the factory.

Best
Rob

[L Verge]

This is strictly a sidebar, but I have to share one of the charming moments of working with children in explaining the Civil War. This past Monday and Tuesday, my education staff members worked with a total of 103 fifth graders -- all of them average or TAG students.

On Tuesday, a staff member was asking who fought in the Civil War, and one student said the North and the South. She then asked for another name for the North, and the children said "Union." Her last question was what was another name for the South. No one answered, so she gave them a hint, "It's a big word that starts with a C." Immediately, one young man yelled, "Caucasian."

When you stop and think about it, he was 99% correct!

The class did arrive finally at the answer "Confederacy." I was listening from my office across the hall and it made my day. Frankly, I was amazed that students even know the word Caucasian or the correct words to describe race of any sort. I thought that detail had gone by the wayside in today's society.

After a general class session on the assassination and a tour of the historic house, the students then went to our meeting room in the research center and did the mock trial. On Monday, Mrs. Surratt was found guilty by a count of 16 to 15 with some students not being able to make up their minds. They were still arguing when they got on the bus (these were the TAG students).
Tuesday's students voted overwhelmingly that she was guilty.

The best part of the day came when one young student announced to my staff that "this has been the best field trip ever!"

[Bill Richter]

It was all Bush's fault

[Rick Smith]

That's right, northern factory workers could leave the factory anytime they wanted; but an empty belly is a good reason for staying.

Rick

[Rob Wick]

Still, no one forced them to stay. Also, no one threatened to sell their family to another factory.

Best
Rob

[Rick Smith]

The economics of starvation forced them to stay.

The average slave was given better care than any factory worker in the north was by their factory master.

Rick

[Rob Wick]

I imagine several slaves would disagree with that, especially all those who headed for Union lines when they had the chance.

Best
Rob

[Rick Smith]

Several possibly, but no more than that.

Rick

[Rob Wick]

Surely we can agree that anyone who was a slave was mistreated, regardless of the level of violence which may or may not have been directed their way, can't we?

Best
Rob

[J. Beckert]

I have to respectfully disagree, Rob. How bad did Thomas Jefferson treat Sally Hemmings? I think a case by case review is in order here.

[Rob Wick]

And I have to respectfully disagree as well, Joe. One person owning another in any circumstance is an abomination.

Best
Rob

[J. Beckert]

That's true, but taking her to Paris and treating her as he did doesn't qualify as mistreatment, either, does it?

"Sally's son Madison recalled that one of her duties was "to take care of [Jefferson's] chamber and wardrobe, look after us children, and do light work such as sewing, &c."