Slavery Shaped The Antebellum South Essay - 1390 Words

How slavery shaped the antebellum South Slavery shaped the values of the antebellum south in many ways. From agriculture and economy, to social stratification and the establishment of societal roles, slavery played an essential part in developing the south as well as dividing it from the north. In the beginning, the north and south had many things in common. The populations of both were predominantly of British decent and followed the Protestant faith. The inhabitants of both regions spoke the same language and believed in the racial superiority of whites. Where the division of the regions occurs is with the introduction of slavery to the colonies. Alexis de Tocqueville stated â€Å"that almost all of the differences which may be noticed between the character of the Americans in the Southern and Northern states have originated in slavery.† (###) It is these differences that shaped and developed the antebellum south. As the climate of the land south of the Mason-Dixon line was well suited for the cultivation of crops, farmers and planters in the south began to produce crops such as tobacco, sugar, rice, and cotton. The cultivation of these crops flourished, especially cotton. This crop became king in the south as three quarters of the world’s cotton came from the south. This flourishing market came at the expense of slaves through forced labor. This slave labor intensified the feelings of white supremacy in the south and unified all whites in the south because of race asShow MoreRelatedEssay about The American Civil War688 Words   |  3 Pageswar was a series of transactions, or exchanges, between the North and the South. These transactions involved over 1 million Americans who put their lives at risk for the liberation of the country’s slaves. These transactions were influenced by three paramount concepts: perspectives, values, and relative evaluations of costs and benefits. In the midst of this tumultuous period of time in American histo ry, these concepts shaped not just the people themselves but the social, political, and economic transactionsRead More`` 12 Years A Slave `` And The Fight For Freedom Essay1239 Words   |  5 Pages Throughout the the period of Antebellum America, the institution of slavery distinctly shaped the lives of both enslaved, and free, African Americans. This institution tore apart lives, killed countless, and wrongly enslaved an entire race of people for something out of their control.. The academy award winning film 12 Years a Slave tells the tragic tale of Solomon Northup, a free African American, and his horrific journey while kidnapped into slavery. This film portrays both the struggle and theRead MoreSlavery Was The Engine Of American Economic Growth1420 Words   |  6 PagesThere is no doubt that slavery was the engine of American economic growth. 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