Southern Cotton
Prior to the cotton gin, why was cotton not a profitable crop?
It took too long for seeds to be removed by hand
What were slave codes?
Strict laws that controlled the action & movements of slaves
Explain the gang labor system as used by many planters in the south
Slaves focused on the same task at the same time
What was the most violent slave uprising in the US?
Nat Turner's Rebellion
What was the goal of the anti-slavery society?
To free slaves immediately and obtain racial equality
Why is cotton a bad cash crop?
It drains the nutrients from the soil quickly
How did wealthy white southerners justify the institution of slavery?
God created some people to rule over others & slaves couldn't take care of themselves
How did enslaved parents pass their culture down to their children?
They told folktales with customary characters an morals
What event prompted many states to strengthen their slave codes?
Nat Turner's Rebellion
How did Harriet Tubman contribute to the anti-slavery movement?
She was a conductor on the underground railroad who led many slaves to freedom
Why did the value of slaves drop in the South before the invention of the cotton gin?
Prices for cash crops were low so farmers decreased production & demand for slaves declined
Why was there a high rate of illiteracy among slaves?
Many states had literacy laws as part of the slave codes prohibiting teaching slaves to read
How did some planters encourage slave obedience?
Offering rewards for better food, clothing and shelter
Why did Nat Turner lead a group of slaves to kill slave holders across VA?
He believed he was on a mission from God to free the slaves
What did Frederick Douglass & Sojourner Truth have in common?
They were both former slaves who contributed to the abolitionist cause
How did dependency on cash crops hurt the South's economy?
It took capitalists attention away from southern industry & manufacturing
What are the three ways a slave may become free?
Runaway, freed by owner or purchase freedom fro owner
Name 3 effects of laws passed to limit the rights of free slaves in the South
They could not vote, travel freely, hold certain jobs, live in some states or represent themselves in court
What was the long term effect of Nat Turner's Rebellion?
Many states strengthened their slave codes
What did the federal government do to block the abolition movement's progress between 1836 and 1844?
Issues a gag rule preventing Congress from discussing or even accepting anti-slavery petitions
What effect did the cotton gin have on the Southern economy?
Wanting to make as much money as possible, Southern planters focused almost entirely on cotton production
Why did many southern cities & states pass laws to limit the rights of free slaves?
White southerners former slaves would try to encourage slave rebellions
The fear that free slaves would inspire other slaves to rebel caused masters to use harsher punishments
What happened to Nat Turner after the rebellion he started in 1831?
He was sentenced to death. He was hanged and skinned
What factor was largely responsible for making emancipation almost impossible in the South in the early 1800's?
The South's economic dependency on slavery