Spotts ENGL 227
spotts11
198
Introduction-
By the 18th century there became a clear distinction between white and black. Slavery is one of the most controversial issues in America. The issue and history of slavery has inspired many debates, as well as numerous amounts of literature. In the 17th century, African Americans took their first step in America, but little did they know for centuries their people would encounter suffering in the form of slavery. Many debate why slavery came to America in the first place. Most say it was in the horrid form of racism, but I have a different view. Though, racism played a vital role in the creation of slavery, the main reason for slavery in America was purely economic. America was struggling financially and there was a mass shortage of labor. Slavery resolved both these issues, because cotton was king and African Americans were simply cheap labor. Slavery allowed for America to become one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
By the 18th century there became a clear distinction between white and black. Slavery is one of the most controversial issues in America. The issue and history of slavery has inspired many debates, as well as numerous amounts of literature. In the 17th century, African Americans took their first step in America, but little did they know for centuries their people would encounter suffering in the form of slavery. Many debate why slavery came to America in the first place. Most say it was in the horrid form of racism, but I have a different view. Though, racism played a vital role in the creation of slavery, the main reason for slavery in America was purely economic. America was struggling financially and there was a mass shortage of labor. Slavery resolved both these issues, because cotton was king and African Americans were simply cheap labor. Slavery allowed for America to become one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
Capitalism, Slavery and Caribbean Modernity
|
This article discusses European and American involvement in the slave trade. When slavery began in America, the word "racism" was not apart of peoples vocabularies. The slave trade and the slave plantation system, according to Hilary Beckles, was crucial to the European slave industrialization. Also, it was rare to find literature on the issue of white over black ideologies during the 17th and 18th centuries. The international slave trade was the surest way to achieve economic success was stressed heavily by the colonists. Europeans and the colonists knew that the best way to be successful is to exploit the slave trade because the slave trade was the best way to incorporate cheap labor. The sugar industry, which was declining rapidly, forced involvement into the slave trade by many plantation owners. Owners were hurting by the decline of the sugar industry as well, which is why they needed cheap labor to work their cotton fields. Utlimately, owners did not want to put their white indentured servants under hot and swampy conditions. Rice and cotton fields in the south needed to be worked on and there was a huge supply of African American slaves; therefore African Americans became the answer to problems of the plantation owner.
|
Pro-Slavery
|
Many abolitionists were beginning to voice their opinion about slavery. They said that slavery was a sin and that slave owners would go to Hell. Advocates for slavery began to become angry that abolitionists ideas were being published into newspapers. This was a major problem for pro-slavery individuals. They feared that what the abolitionists were saying in the newspapers would offend slave owners. This is a big problem because slave owners were the prominent reason for the prosperity of many cities across america. That is why people that favored slavery began to riot and succumb towards violence because they did not want investors who pumped money into cities to pull out and possibly result in the decline of many cities.
|
|
Cotton is king, and pro-slavery arguments: comprising the writings of Hammond, Harper, Christy, Stringfellow, Hodge, Bledsoe, and Cartwright, on this important subject
|
This article discusses the differences between northern and southern ideology of slaves. According to southern slave owners the north were fearful of success of southern states. Also, they believed that the south viewed slaves as mere servants; therefore they could brutalize and humiliate them in any way. The author of this article, who is an advocate for the pro-slavery cause, immediately refutes this claim and says "if this is the correct definition of the word slave, then we totally object to this term, and we deny that we have any such institution such as slavery among us." The author goes on discussing the definition of what a slave is, as well as discussing the different motives the abolitionists are trying to practice upon the south. He even quotes scripture to justify the slave master relationship and that a slave is to be obedient to his master, while the master needs to show love towards his slave. The main point of this article was to prove the argument that "cotton is king" was true. According to Elliot, cotton was a necessity for a country that was hurting financially. England's textile industry thrived mainly because of America's cotton industry. Cotton was very labor intensive and slavery was the source of that labor. Cotton fueled the southern economy, which made the north very angry. The creation of a plantation slavery system stemmed from the extreme success of the cotton industry.
|
|
Capitalism, Black (Under)Development, and the Production of the African-American Novel in the 1850s
|
The development of the southern economy depended heavily upon African American labor. Plantation owners needed blacks to be productive, which is why most plantation owners picked the strongest African American. According the author, if the slave was not productive enough or if they could not handle working all day then their lives were jeopardized. In the mind set of the slave, in order to live they must produce. Though this is unethical business, slave owners did not care. They looked at each slave as a business investment, if they produced then most likely they would be treated fairly, but if they did not produce then either the owner would trade them away or he would kill them. Now, there are most cases where slaves had respect for their owner because the owner treated them well, but there were numerous cases that the slave owner was vicious. Labor in the south is no easy task, and the easiest way out and the most profitable is cheap labor. African Americans, during that time represented a gold mine to all plantation owners because they saw economic success. The ultimate evidence that proved that slavery in the south stimulated the economy was reconstruction in the south after the civil war. The south went into a economic blunder for decades simply because their biggest economic success was stripped away.
|
|
The Economics of Industrial Slavery in The Old South
|
Robert Starobin argues that plantation slavery was profitable for the south. He says that if it was not was there a need for slavery wouldn't slave owners find another "peculiar industry." Also, he points out that "was a civil war necessary if slavery was dying from its own weight?" According to Starobin, only 5 percent were employed by industrial entrepreneours. Also, the manufactoring of iron solely depended upon slave labor. Slave labor was crucial in the tobacco industrial, hemp manufacturing, shoe manufacturing, printing establishments, as well as the coal and industry. All of these economic endevors would not be avialable if slave labor was not available. The southern economy during the 18th and 19th century thrived upon slave labor. Robert goes on and on for several pages just listing the different industries that were successful because of slave labor.
|
|
The American Slave Narrative: The Justification of the Picaro
|
This article reiterates that slavery is a social and moral good for the south. It is a series of debates of whether slavery is a necessity for the south. The author displays a good point by claiming that if you take away slavery you diminish all possibilities of success economically. The point he tries to make stems from the fact that 95% of slaver owners/ plantation owners create economic success in the south and if you take that away you create chaos and turmoil.
|
Conclusion-
Slavery is an extreme controversial issue still today. Many debate whether slavery was morally good and if business practiced by slave owners was an ethical practice. Most will say that slavery was a horrible practice and I agree, but it goes beyond question that slavery was solely responsible for the economic success in the south. Now, was slavery created simply because people hated blacks. Some will argue yes and some will argue no. My paper displays evidence that claims that slavery was institutionalized because America was a new country struggling financially in need of cheap labor. Rice, cotton and tobacco was very labor intensive industry and slavery was the answer to this crisis. Slavery, though morally wrong stimualted the American Economy immensily. The civil war proved that slavery was an economic success in the south because the south took decades if not more to recover from the aftermath of not having slavery as an option for economic success.
Slavery is an extreme controversial issue still today. Many debate whether slavery was morally good and if business practiced by slave owners was an ethical practice. Most will say that slavery was a horrible practice and I agree, but it goes beyond question that slavery was solely responsible for the economic success in the south. Now, was slavery created simply because people hated blacks. Some will argue yes and some will argue no. My paper displays evidence that claims that slavery was institutionalized because America was a new country struggling financially in need of cheap labor. Rice, cotton and tobacco was very labor intensive industry and slavery was the answer to this crisis. Slavery, though morally wrong stimualted the American Economy immensily. The civil war proved that slavery was an economic success in the south because the south took decades if not more to recover from the aftermath of not having slavery as an option for economic success.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.