Chapter 16 & 17 Study Guide
Chapter #16: The South and the Slavery Controversy – Big Picture Themes
1. Cotton ran the South before the Civil War— it was "King Cotton." The entire southern economy was based on cotton.
2. The South had developed a pyramid-like social structure. From top-to-bottom: planter aristocrats, small farmers, the white majority (who owned no slaves), free blacks, slaves.
3. Life as a slave could be wildly varied—some slave owners were kind toward their slaves, some were immensely cruel. In all situations, slaves were not free to do as they pleased.
4. Abolition (move to abolish slavery) began with the Quakers. Frederick Douglass became the main spokesman against slavery. And William Lloyd Garrison printed "The Liberator", a radical abolition newspaper.
5. Southerners countered that northern workers were treated even worse than slaves. Slave owners, they said, had a vested interest in their slaves. Northern factory workers exploited then fired their workers.
IDENTIFICATIONS:
Nat Turner
A black slave of the early nineteenth century, who led the only effective and sustained slave revolt in American history. He and his supporters killed several dozen white people in Virginia before he was captured; he was hanged in 1831. Although Turner's rebellion led to a severe reaction among the slaveholders, it demonstrated that not all slaves were willing to accept their condition passively.
Sojourner Truth
An abolitionist and escaped slave of the nineteenth century. She was famous as a speaker against slavery.
Theodore Dwight Weld
Abolitionist who played a role as writer, editor, speaker, and organizer. He is best known for his co-authorship of the authoritative compendium, American Slavery As It Is: Testimony of a Thousand Witnesses, published in 1839. Harriet Beecher Stowe partly based Uncle Tom's Cabin on Weld's text and it is regarded as second only to that work in its influence on the antislavery movement
Harriet Beecher Stowe
A nineteenth-century American author best known for Uncle Tom's Cabin, a powerful novel that inflamed sentiment against slavery.
William Lloyd Garrison
A prominent abolitionist of the nineteenth century. In his newspaper, The Liberator , he called for immediate freedom for the slaves and for the end of all political ties between the northern and southern states.
David Walker
An outspoken African American activist who demanded the immediate end of slavery in the new nation. A leader within the Black enclave in Boston, Massachusetts, he published in 1829 his Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World: a call to "awaken my brethren" to the power within Black unity and struggle.
GUIDED READING QUESTIONS:
"Cotton is King!"
Know: Eli Whitney, Cotton Gin
1. What is meant by "Cotton is King?" How did its sovereignty extend beyond the South? What implications did its rule have?
"King Cotton" was a popular term used in antebellum south, mostly due to the fact that cotton dominated the southern economy. The cotton from the south would make up the majority of the cotton in the cotton industry, leading to the South earning a large amount of money through trade.
The Planter "Aristocracy"
Know: Chivalry
2. In what ways was the south "basically undemocratic?"
Like New England, the South was first settled by English Protestants. But whereas New Englanders tended to stress their differences from the old country, Southerners tended to emulate the English. Even so, Southerners were prominent among the leaders of the American Revolution, and four of America's first five presidents were Virginians.
Slaves and the Slave System
Know: One crop economy
3. What were the weaknesses of the South's dependence on cotton?
The South's dependence on cotton made them dependent on manual labor, thus they felt they had to have slavery to keep their cotton plantations going. Their dependency on slaves would cause multitudes of disputes between the abolitionists in the North and the pro-slavery supporters in the South.
The White Majority
Know: Yeoman Farmer, hillbilly
4. Why did many whites who did not own slaves support slavery?
They viewed slaves to be their version of succeeding the American Dream, of which they hope to own a few slaves in order to start snowballing their careers and journeys into fortunes. Furthermore, they recognized the role that slavery played on the Southern economy.
Free Blacks: Slaves Without Masters
Know: Emancipate, mulattoes
5. Would it have been better to be a free Black in the North or in the South? Explain.
It would have been better to be a free Black in the North because of the fact that those Blacks who were free in the South were treated harshly due to the hatred that emanated from the Whites.
Plantation Slavery
Know: Chattel, natural increase, Harriet Beecher Stowe
6. "...planters regarded slaves as investments [like a mule]...." Explain what was positive and what was negative about this situation for slaves.
There were both positive and negative effects that came as a result to their treatment as property. Firstly, slave owners were forced to keep their slaves in working condition so that he or she could continue generating profit for the slave-owner. However, as they are only property and are not considered human, they’re mistreated and abused.
Life Under the Lash
Know: Overseer, breaker, Old South, Deep South
7. Give evidence to show that slaves developed a separate, unique culture. What circumstances made this possible?
Large plantations often made this possible due to large plantations having a tendency to have a large multitude of slaves. Furthermore, slaves could be separated, sold, and exchanged, allowing for more of a spread of culture among the slaves. Not surprisingly, slave culture quickly spread as the ownership quickly switched hands. Gatherings would be used to spread culture as it is only during these gatherings were when slaves allowed to actually socialize.
The Burdens of Bondage
Know: Peculiar institution, Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vesey, Nat Turner
8. Thomas Jefferson once said that having slaves was like holding a wolf by the ears, you didn't like it but you couldn't let go. How does this section help to explain this statement?
This section showed that although the South developed a dependency on slaves, they continue to mistreat them and abuse them out of profit concerns. Furthermore, the South had no intention of actually granting Blacks their proper respects, rather they intended the Blacks to continue serving the Whites for more profit.
Early Abolitionism
Know: Abolition, The American Colonization Society, Theodore Weld, Arthur and Lewis Tappan, Harriet Beecher Stowe
9. Describe some of the early abolitionists.
Early Abolitionists worked with state legislatures to get Northern states to individually outlaw slavery. They also worked by publishing books, newspapers, and pamphlets. They had conferences, speeches, conventions, and founded charities for slaves. The abolitionists would do whatever it took to oppose their rival pro-slavery supporters and to ensure that they prevail over them.
Radical Abolitionism
Know: William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, David Walker, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass
10. How were the attitudes of William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass different? When dealing with an issue that is moral and political, how rigid should a person be?
William Lloyd Garrison was very stubborn and unmoving. He stood by his principles and took action to ensure that his principles would be carried out. Frederick Douglass was more appealing and persuasive, as he would rather allure the audience to support him rather than drastically change their views on the topic at hand.
The South Lashes Back
11. How did the South defend itself against the attacks of abolitionists?
The South was fighting for independence and the right to secede from what they saw as a federal government which was quickly becoming tyrannical. The South built many forts and knew the land to help defend against attacks. They relied on their economic influence of the cotton industry in hopes of receiving support from international countries.
The Abolitionist Impact in the North
12. How did Northerners view abolitionists? Did they have any success?
Northerners came to view slavery as the very antithesis of the good society, as well as a threat to their own fundamental values and interests. Their success varied, as the South often neutralized or nullified any protests the abolitionists held.
Chapter #17: Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy – Big Picture Themes
1. A boundary dispute with England over Maine was settled peacably. In the long run, the U.S. likely got the better end of the deal.
2. Texas finally joined the U.S. Since the Texas revolution, it’d been hanging in the balance. American lawmakers finally decided it was too good of a prize to let slip by, so it was annexed in 1845
3. Oregon was next on the list of lands to seal up. It was shared land, mainly between the U.S. and England. After some negotiating over the border, the 49th parallel was agreed upon. Again, the U.S. likely got the better.
4. The election of 1844 saw James K. Polk run on a Manifest Destiny platform. Americans liked the idea, voted him in, and he went after California.
5. When the Mexican-American war was over, the prize of California that Polk had wanted, was obtained. So was all of the modern American Southwest.
IDENTIFICATIONS:
John Tyler
Elected vice president and became the 10th President of the United States when Harrison died (1790-1862)
Slidell’s Mission
Sidell’s assignment from Polk was to negotiate the following: Mexican recognition of the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and the United States, American forgiveness of the claims by U.S. citizens against the Mexican government, the purchase of the New Mexico area for $5 million, and the purchase of California at any price
John C. Fremont
United States explorer who mapped much of the American west and Northwest (1813-1890)
Manifest Destiny
The 19th century American belief that the United States was destined to expand across the continent. It was used by Democrats in the 1840s to justify the war with Mexico; the concept was denounced by Whigs, and fell into disuse after the mid-19th century. First used for the annexation of Texas issue. Opposed by Clay, Webster and Lincoln, but supported by Polk.
James K. Polk
The 11th president of the U.S. president during the Mexican- American war. 1845-49
Webster-Ashburton Treaty
An agreement between the U.S. and England (1842) defining the boundary between British and American territory from Maine to present-day Minnesota.
Spot Resolution
Offered in the United States House of Representatives in 1847 by Abraham Lincoln, Whig representative from Illinois, the resolutions requested President James K. Polk to provide Congress with the exact location (the "spot") upon which blood was spilt on American soil, as Polk had claimed in 1846 when asking Congress to declare war on Mexico. So persistent was Lincoln in pushing his "spot resolutions" that some began referring to him as "spotty Lincoln." Lincoln's resolutions were a direct challenge to the validity of the president's words, and representative of an ongoing political power struggle between Whigs and Democrats.
The Tariff of 1842
Revenue-enhancing measure that lowered tariffs in1842 to very low levels thereby fueling trade and increasing Treasury receipts
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to the interim government of a militarily occupied Mexico City, that ended the Mexican-American War.
Wilmot Proviso
Amendment that sought to prohibit slavery from territories acquired from Mexico. Introduced by Pennsylvania congressman David Wilmot, the failed amendment ratcheted up tensions between North and South over the issue of slavery.
1. Cotton ran the South before the Civil War— it was "King Cotton." The entire southern economy was based on cotton.
2. The South had developed a pyramid-like social structure. From top-to-bottom: planter aristocrats, small farmers, the white majority (who owned no slaves), free blacks, slaves.
3. Life as a slave could be wildly varied—some slave owners were kind toward their slaves, some were immensely cruel. In all situations, slaves were not free to do as they pleased.
4. Abolition (move to abolish slavery) began with the Quakers. Frederick Douglass became the main spokesman against slavery. And William Lloyd Garrison printed "The Liberator", a radical abolition newspaper.
5. Southerners countered that northern workers were treated even worse than slaves. Slave owners, they said, had a vested interest in their slaves. Northern factory workers exploited then fired their workers.
IDENTIFICATIONS:
Nat Turner
A black slave of the early nineteenth century, who led the only effective and sustained slave revolt in American history. He and his supporters killed several dozen white people in Virginia before he was captured; he was hanged in 1831. Although Turner's rebellion led to a severe reaction among the slaveholders, it demonstrated that not all slaves were willing to accept their condition passively.
Sojourner Truth
An abolitionist and escaped slave of the nineteenth century. She was famous as a speaker against slavery.
Theodore Dwight Weld
Abolitionist who played a role as writer, editor, speaker, and organizer. He is best known for his co-authorship of the authoritative compendium, American Slavery As It Is: Testimony of a Thousand Witnesses, published in 1839. Harriet Beecher Stowe partly based Uncle Tom's Cabin on Weld's text and it is regarded as second only to that work in its influence on the antislavery movement
Harriet Beecher Stowe
A nineteenth-century American author best known for Uncle Tom's Cabin, a powerful novel that inflamed sentiment against slavery.
William Lloyd Garrison
A prominent abolitionist of the nineteenth century. In his newspaper, The Liberator , he called for immediate freedom for the slaves and for the end of all political ties between the northern and southern states.
David Walker
An outspoken African American activist who demanded the immediate end of slavery in the new nation. A leader within the Black enclave in Boston, Massachusetts, he published in 1829 his Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World: a call to "awaken my brethren" to the power within Black unity and struggle.
GUIDED READING QUESTIONS:
"Cotton is King!"
Know: Eli Whitney, Cotton Gin
1. What is meant by "Cotton is King?" How did its sovereignty extend beyond the South? What implications did its rule have?
"King Cotton" was a popular term used in antebellum south, mostly due to the fact that cotton dominated the southern economy. The cotton from the south would make up the majority of the cotton in the cotton industry, leading to the South earning a large amount of money through trade.
The Planter "Aristocracy"
Know: Chivalry
2. In what ways was the south "basically undemocratic?"
Like New England, the South was first settled by English Protestants. But whereas New Englanders tended to stress their differences from the old country, Southerners tended to emulate the English. Even so, Southerners were prominent among the leaders of the American Revolution, and four of America's first five presidents were Virginians.
Slaves and the Slave System
Know: One crop economy
3. What were the weaknesses of the South's dependence on cotton?
The South's dependence on cotton made them dependent on manual labor, thus they felt they had to have slavery to keep their cotton plantations going. Their dependency on slaves would cause multitudes of disputes between the abolitionists in the North and the pro-slavery supporters in the South.
The White Majority
Know: Yeoman Farmer, hillbilly
4. Why did many whites who did not own slaves support slavery?
They viewed slaves to be their version of succeeding the American Dream, of which they hope to own a few slaves in order to start snowballing their careers and journeys into fortunes. Furthermore, they recognized the role that slavery played on the Southern economy.
Free Blacks: Slaves Without Masters
Know: Emancipate, mulattoes
5. Would it have been better to be a free Black in the North or in the South? Explain.
It would have been better to be a free Black in the North because of the fact that those Blacks who were free in the South were treated harshly due to the hatred that emanated from the Whites.
Plantation Slavery
Know: Chattel, natural increase, Harriet Beecher Stowe
6. "...planters regarded slaves as investments [like a mule]...." Explain what was positive and what was negative about this situation for slaves.
There were both positive and negative effects that came as a result to their treatment as property. Firstly, slave owners were forced to keep their slaves in working condition so that he or she could continue generating profit for the slave-owner. However, as they are only property and are not considered human, they’re mistreated and abused.
Life Under the Lash
Know: Overseer, breaker, Old South, Deep South
7. Give evidence to show that slaves developed a separate, unique culture. What circumstances made this possible?
Large plantations often made this possible due to large plantations having a tendency to have a large multitude of slaves. Furthermore, slaves could be separated, sold, and exchanged, allowing for more of a spread of culture among the slaves. Not surprisingly, slave culture quickly spread as the ownership quickly switched hands. Gatherings would be used to spread culture as it is only during these gatherings were when slaves allowed to actually socialize.
The Burdens of Bondage
Know: Peculiar institution, Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vesey, Nat Turner
8. Thomas Jefferson once said that having slaves was like holding a wolf by the ears, you didn't like it but you couldn't let go. How does this section help to explain this statement?
This section showed that although the South developed a dependency on slaves, they continue to mistreat them and abuse them out of profit concerns. Furthermore, the South had no intention of actually granting Blacks their proper respects, rather they intended the Blacks to continue serving the Whites for more profit.
Early Abolitionism
Know: Abolition, The American Colonization Society, Theodore Weld, Arthur and Lewis Tappan, Harriet Beecher Stowe
9. Describe some of the early abolitionists.
Early Abolitionists worked with state legislatures to get Northern states to individually outlaw slavery. They also worked by publishing books, newspapers, and pamphlets. They had conferences, speeches, conventions, and founded charities for slaves. The abolitionists would do whatever it took to oppose their rival pro-slavery supporters and to ensure that they prevail over them.
Radical Abolitionism
Know: William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, David Walker, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass
10. How were the attitudes of William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass different? When dealing with an issue that is moral and political, how rigid should a person be?
William Lloyd Garrison was very stubborn and unmoving. He stood by his principles and took action to ensure that his principles would be carried out. Frederick Douglass was more appealing and persuasive, as he would rather allure the audience to support him rather than drastically change their views on the topic at hand.
The South Lashes Back
11. How did the South defend itself against the attacks of abolitionists?
The South was fighting for independence and the right to secede from what they saw as a federal government which was quickly becoming tyrannical. The South built many forts and knew the land to help defend against attacks. They relied on their economic influence of the cotton industry in hopes of receiving support from international countries.
The Abolitionist Impact in the North
12. How did Northerners view abolitionists? Did they have any success?
Northerners came to view slavery as the very antithesis of the good society, as well as a threat to their own fundamental values and interests. Their success varied, as the South often neutralized or nullified any protests the abolitionists held.
Chapter #17: Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy – Big Picture Themes
1. A boundary dispute with England over Maine was settled peacably. In the long run, the U.S. likely got the better end of the deal.
2. Texas finally joined the U.S. Since the Texas revolution, it’d been hanging in the balance. American lawmakers finally decided it was too good of a prize to let slip by, so it was annexed in 1845
3. Oregon was next on the list of lands to seal up. It was shared land, mainly between the U.S. and England. After some negotiating over the border, the 49th parallel was agreed upon. Again, the U.S. likely got the better.
4. The election of 1844 saw James K. Polk run on a Manifest Destiny platform. Americans liked the idea, voted him in, and he went after California.
5. When the Mexican-American war was over, the prize of California that Polk had wanted, was obtained. So was all of the modern American Southwest.
IDENTIFICATIONS:
John Tyler
Elected vice president and became the 10th President of the United States when Harrison died (1790-1862)
Slidell’s Mission
Sidell’s assignment from Polk was to negotiate the following: Mexican recognition of the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and the United States, American forgiveness of the claims by U.S. citizens against the Mexican government, the purchase of the New Mexico area for $5 million, and the purchase of California at any price
John C. Fremont
United States explorer who mapped much of the American west and Northwest (1813-1890)
Manifest Destiny
The 19th century American belief that the United States was destined to expand across the continent. It was used by Democrats in the 1840s to justify the war with Mexico; the concept was denounced by Whigs, and fell into disuse after the mid-19th century. First used for the annexation of Texas issue. Opposed by Clay, Webster and Lincoln, but supported by Polk.
James K. Polk
The 11th president of the U.S. president during the Mexican- American war. 1845-49
Webster-Ashburton Treaty
An agreement between the U.S. and England (1842) defining the boundary between British and American territory from Maine to present-day Minnesota.
Spot Resolution
Offered in the United States House of Representatives in 1847 by Abraham Lincoln, Whig representative from Illinois, the resolutions requested President James K. Polk to provide Congress with the exact location (the "spot") upon which blood was spilt on American soil, as Polk had claimed in 1846 when asking Congress to declare war on Mexico. So persistent was Lincoln in pushing his "spot resolutions" that some began referring to him as "spotty Lincoln." Lincoln's resolutions were a direct challenge to the validity of the president's words, and representative of an ongoing political power struggle between Whigs and Democrats.
The Tariff of 1842
Revenue-enhancing measure that lowered tariffs in1842 to very low levels thereby fueling trade and increasing Treasury receipts
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to the interim government of a militarily occupied Mexico City, that ended the Mexican-American War.
Wilmot Proviso
Amendment that sought to prohibit slavery from territories acquired from Mexico. Introduced by Pennsylvania congressman David Wilmot, the failed amendment ratcheted up tensions between North and South over the issue of slavery.