Chapter 13 - South

Section 2 Southern Society

Southern Society & Culture

During the first half of the 1800s, only about 1/3 of white southern families had slaves. Fewer families had plantations

Planters
Wealthiest members
Show off wealth/live simply More power and wealth than yeomen

Males
Raised crops and supervised slaves Household duties left to the wife
Raising of the children Supervised slave work inside the house Cooked, cleaned

Kids had arranged marriages

Yeomen & Poor Whites

Most white southerners were yeomen
Owners of small farms Owned few slaves or none at all Farms were typically 100 acres

Poorest of whites lived on land that could not grow crops.

Survived by hunting, fishing, raising small gardens and doing odd jobs for money

Religion
Most shared similar religious beliefs Usually only saw neighbors at church events

African Americans
Free African Americans lived in both rural and urban areas
Worked as paid laborers on plantations/farms

Faced constant discrimination from white southerners. Most free African Americans could not:
Vote Travel freely Hold certain jobs

The Slave System - Work

Gang-labor system
All worked on the same task at the same time. Sunup to sundown Men, women and children (10+) Sickness and poor weather no excuse.

Working in the Home

Butlers, cooks, nurses Better food, clothing and shelter Worked longer hours (24 hours a day)

The Slave System - Life

Property not people Bought and sold slaves (auction) Poor living conditions
Dirt floor cabins Leaky roofs Cheap fabric clothing

Punishment & Slave Codes

Obedience
Offered more food or better living conditions

Punishment
In front of other slaves

Codes
Laws
Prohibited traveling far from homes No education
Fining and whipping

The Slave System Culture

Family most important aspect Feared separation more than punishment Passed down folktales (stories) to ensure the children didnt forget their heritage. Christians
Music and songs to express their beliefs

Rebellion
Worked slower to protest long hours Ran away for a few days Escaping to the North
If discovered, sent back home and punished/death

Violent revolts

Rebellion
Nat Turners Rebellion (August 1831)
Most violent Led a group of slaves in a plan to kill all slaveholders and families Attacked Turners slave holder. Killed 60 white people in community More than 100 innocent slaves were killed in attempt to stop rebellion 6 weeks. Executed November 11, 1831 Strengthened slave code