Chapter 12 - Cotton is King Flashcards
Antebellum
A term meaning “before the war” and used to describe the decades before the American Civil War began in 1861
Cash Crop
A crop grown to be sold for profit instead of consumption by the farmer’s family
Ostend Manifesto
Polygenism
What invention revolutionized cotton production and who created it?
The cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793, made separating cotton seeds faster and easier.
Why was cotton known as “King Cotton”?
By 1860, the South produced two-thirds of the world’s cotton, fueling industrial growth in both the U.S. and Britain.
What was Petit Gulf cotton and why was it important?
A hybrid strain (Gossypium barbadense) that thrived in Southern climates, boosting productivity across slave states.
How did New Orleans become economically significant during the antebellum era?
It became a hub for shipping cotton to Europe and the North, benefiting from steam-powered transport.
What was the role of the Mississippi River in the cotton trade?
: It was essential for transporting cotton bales to ports like New Orleans, reinforcing Southern economic strength.
What was the “Second Middle Passage”?
The internal forced migration of enslaved people to the Deep South as cotton demand increased.
What role did the domestic slave trade play after 1808?
It became the main source of enslaved labor due to the ban on international slave trade, especially from states like Virginia and Maryland.
How did enslaved people resist their conditions?
Through subtle resistance (e.g., slowing work), cultural preservation, and sometimes sabotage or escape.
Who were the Southern planter elite and how did they influence society?
Wealthy slaveholders like Edward Lloyd V dominated Southern economy and politics and promoted proslavery ideology.
What was the role of honor in Southern White culture?
It upheld male dominance, justified slavery, and reinforced rigid social hierarchies.
What is “paternalism” in the context of Southern slavery?
The idea that slaveholders cared for enslaved people as dependents, used to justify slavery.
What was the goal of filibusters in the context of slavery?
To expand U.S. territory and spread slavery, notably by figures like William Walker in Nicaragua.
What was the Ostend Manifesto?
A secret U.S. document suggesting taking Cuba from Spain if it refused to sell it, as a means to expand slavery.
How did the cotton boom influence both the economy and social hierarchy of the antebellum South?
The cotton boom solidified the South’s dependence on a slave-based agricultural economy. It concentrated wealth and power in the hands of the planter elite, widening class divisions. Wealthy planters controlled politics, the economy, and culture, while poor whites aspired to slave ownership as a symbol of success, reinforcing the system even among non-slaveholders.
In what ways did the ideology of paternalism serve to justify slavery, and how might enslaved people have viewed this justification?
Paternalism framed slavery as a benevolent institution, portraying slaveholders as protectors of an inferior race. This ideology helped slaveowners rationalize the system and maintain control. Enslaved people likely saw through this narrative, as their daily lives were marked by violence, lack of autonomy, and exploitation. It was a mask for systemic oppression.
How did the internal slave trade (or Second Middle Passage) shape the experience of slavery in the United States after 1808?
After the international slave trade was banned, the domestic slave trade grew rapidly. Families were often torn apart, and many enslaved people were sold from the Upper South to the Deep South. This increased the trauma of enslavement and spread slavery into new territories, reinforcing its central role in U.S. expansion and economy.
What does the South’s push for expansion into areas like Cuba and Central America (filibustering) reveal about the relationship between slavery and American foreign policy in the antebellum period?
It shows how deeply intertwined slavery was with U.S. expansionism. Southern leaders and filibusters pursued new territories to expand slaveholding lands and preserve political power in Congress. The desire to protect and grow slavery often influenced foreign policy and created tensions with anti-slavery interests in the North.
How did enslaved people maintain a sense of identity and community despite the brutal conditions of slavery?
Enslaved people formed family units, practiced spiritual and cultural traditions, and built supportive communities. They used music, religion, and oral history to maintain a sense of self. These practices helped resist dehumanization and preserve African-American identity in the face of systemic oppression.
