Slavery in the Antebellum South
- Antebellum refers to America between the time of independence and the Civil War
- Caused by the mass production of cotton
- Blacks were enslaved simply because of their color
- Auctions were held for the selling of the slaves
- Slavery was the foundation for the South's economy
- It became illegal to import slaves from Africa, so the demand increased along with the price
- Small farm owners found it more beneficial to sell their slaves farther south and to bigger plantations
- Harsh treatment
- Plantation owner looked out for the workers, but still punished them
- Punishments were cruel
- Slaves were considered property
- Most worked on cotton plantations
- Women were sexually exploited- they had no protection against rape, or any other unwanted advance
- Owners had to abide by the Slave Codes
- Plantation Mistress
- raised children- sometimes the owner's children would become attached to the Mistress because they were unaware of the racial system they were born into
- oversaw household jobs
- known as the women of the house
- Slave Owner
- House Servants
- took care of the house and other chores
- Far less privacy than those who worked in the fields
- Field Slaves
- Worked only in the fields