Northern Abolitionism vs. Southern Justifications of Slavery

Northern/Western Perceptions of South, and U.S., pre-Civil War Many Northerners are: 1. not active, or even interested in, abolitionism 2. hostile to pro-slavery leaders and anti-slavery leaders; BUT 3. support “free soil” movement (i.e. no slavery, or takeover of land by plantation owners in the expanding West) 4. support tariff and urban industry SUM: While most Northerners do not want to fight to end slavery, their economic interests (free soil, pro-tariff, pro-industry) lead them to eventually oppose Southern interests

Protestant religion serves as resistance to Northern and Southern status quo Northern utopian communities (communalism) – more radical change social relations of race, class and gender; private property; family, sexuality and marriage how beliefs relate promises of the American revolution and help create future Civil War 1. Oneida and John Noyes – Mutual Criticism; Oneida factories; Complex Marriage 2. Mormons and Joseph Smith – polygamy/plural marriage; New York, Indiana, Utah Black Protestant Churches: stress Biblical interpretation which promise ultimate justice and mercy for those who suffer examples include Israelites leaving Egypt; persecution of Christ

Phases of Abolitionism: American Colonization Society – gradual end to slavery through peaceful means; Abraham Lincoln was a member for a short period of time when young

William Lloyd Garrison, The Liberator - “immediatist”; immediate end to slavery through peaceful resistance

Frederick Douglass and John Brown, immediatism and violent end to slavery

Changes in Southern ideological justification for slavery early colonies to Revolution: apology for slavery; see it as a necessary evil time of Constitution: gradualism generally, before 1830s most white southerners admitted, on some level, that slavery was wrong in land of freedom after 1830s, Southern supporters argue a mix of the following: 1. noblesse oblige: “disinterested benevolence” – (i.e. We feed, shelter etc., care for sick slaves; 2. we have constitutional right to slaves as private property; 3. abolition and emancipation of slaves will lead to violence 4. slaves are racially inferior

White Society in South: SUM OVER TIME: seat of radical challenge during Revolution becomes seat of conservative resistance to change, pro-authority/govt by the 1830s

Southern Sectional Differences From the North by 1850s 1. No urbanization in the South (eventually, cities seen as mildly subversive) life revolved around each large plantation

2. No industrialization in South; eventually, elite So. opposes large industrialization plantation owners invest profits in cotton and slaves, leaving no $ for ind; owners oppose: a. the protective tariff which supports U.S. industrialization; b. manufacturing which provides labor alternative to agricultural work on plantations for slave population c. growing foreign immigrant population works in Northern factories d. federal support given to No. industrialists (ex. pro-tariff)

3. Southern society divided by both property and region

4. Less education in the South – even for white Southerners in 1834, 20% of white southerners could not read/write vs. 1% in New England

Southern Perceptions of the North  Growing sense of isolation and resentment of North by white Southerners who (mistakenly) begin to see all Northerners as abolitionists even though these are rare in actual Northern population