Question

How did dependence on agriculture (especially cotton) and slavery shape the distinctive culture of the Old South and why did southern whites who did not own slaves defend the “peculiar institution”? What proportion of the White South owned slaves and how did so few slave-owning planters exercise such a dominating hegemony over southern society and politics? How did southern apologists argue that slavery was a “positive good”?

Answer 1

One of the most important reasons, the Southerners wanted to continue slavery was agriculture. Most of the slaves were employed in the fields and helped the Southern economy flourish through cash crops such as tobacco, cotton etc. Although only less than one fourth of the Southerners owned slaves, all the whites supported slavery in the South because they felt superior and dominating. This is because race was a social construct which was purposely created to keep all the whites together and establish superiority over the blacks. Although very few people owned slaves, they were able to convince all the others to continue with slavery because those who owned slaves were also wealthy people and they controlled most part of the politics. Southern apologists argue that slavery was a “positive good” because they felt that the North provided very poor life for the whites in the industries but the whites in the South enjoy a better life with the use of the intelligently inferior black slaves. Besides, they were also safe and provided an opportunity to live in the society.

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