Slavery in the 1800s
Slavery had a significant impact on the defenders in 1800 since it bolstered their economy through the acquisition of cheap labor, yet had a detrimental effect on those who were enslaved because they were inhumanly treated under cruelty and brutality. The practice was common in the United States of America, where slaves played a significant role in providing free labor in cotton and rice plantations and factories and ports. However, the Southern and the Northern States of America had different systems. The Northern was industrial with ports, railroads, and factories that produced metal products, glass, textiles, and paper. At the same time, the Southern was agricultural with a big plantation and small farms, which they used to cultivate tobacco, rice, cotton, sugar, and corn (Domar 50). As a result, the south wanted slaves whom they could exploit in their farms to provide free labor. On the other hand, the north was against slavery and allowed immigrants to work in factories. Thus, there are various arguments behind the slavery defenders and the abolitionists during the 1800s in the United States of America.
The South population had a smaller population of approximately 9 million people with large agricultural farms. As a result, slaver had a profound impact on the growth of their economy. Their first reason for wanting slavery was that the sudden end of slavery was likely to kill their economy profoundly. Slave labor was the primary pillar of their prosperity; hence, ending slavery was to minimize rice profitability because most of the people who worked in the vast rice farms were slaves (“US History”). Besides, the cotton economy was predicted to collapse significantly since slaves were responsible for planting, weeding, and harvesting of the cotton, which was a significant source of income in the south. Consequently, the south argued that stopping slavery would lead to the drying of tobacco fields. Therefore, the solely depended on free labor to sustain their agricultural practices in the 18th century.
Additionally, the south wanted slaves because they feared the chaos and widespread employment if all slaves were released at once. Freeing of slaves could lead to uprising and movements to revenge there suffering. Thus, withholding slaves was a self-defense mechanism for the south to avoid blood shade and anarchy. Notably, they wanted slaves because the majority of the southern Americans were employed to supervise the slaves as well as to manage plantations and stores, which were to perish if slaves were released. Most importantly, the south believed that slavery was right following the history of humankind; hence, it considered slavery a natural activity that started from Greeks and Romans (“US History”). As a result, having slaves working for them was a necessity that they deserved because slaves were considered property owned; the constitution defended that.
Unlike the south, the north was more industrialized with factories, ports, and railroads. They produced textiles, glass, and paper whereby immigrants were allowed to work within the factories. The differences between the south and the north led to high northern resistance on slavery. The north had realized the sense of human dignity and equality among all people. As a role model, the north phased out slavery to demonstrate their great concern of equal treatment among all people regardless of their race and ethnic groups (Domar 43). Also, the north recognized the suffering and mutilations Africans and other immigrants faced while under slavery and decided to abolish slavery altogether. Most of the people died when they resisted transportation into southern plantations, which lead to low live expectancy. Therefore, it was time for slaves to enjoy the fruits of their slavery.
Moreover, the north realized that slavery was immoral and against the will of God because it was full of oppression and injustices. Most importantly, most of the raw materials were acquired from the south. This made the south to grow economically, an idea that created economic rivals between the south and the north. The best way the north could use to decline the south economy was to create resistance against their basic source of labor (Domar 44). As a result, they could paralyze their production and decline the southern economy significantly. Finally, the north argued that slavery inhibited advancement in science and technology. Slaves could remain in plantations without sufficient time to come with innovations and inventions. The north wanted advancement and growth of industries because it was their main economic activities. Abolishing slavery was the alternative towards better innovations and innovation in the 18th century.
Conclusively, the various arguments behind the slavery defenders and the abolitionists during the 1800’s in the United States of America were as a result of economical differences between the north and the south. Most importantly, abolition of slavery was integral because it allowed equal treatment among all humans. Life expectances increased as the number of people who died of slavery reduced significantly. The argument of the south to maintain slavery was rational but could not be justified become of harsh environmental conditions and torture that the slaves were subjected to in the 1800’s. Therefore, the south had numerous reasons why they wanted slavery but were contrary to the north which was against slavery.
Works Cited
Domar, Evsey D. “The causes of slavery or serfdom: a hypothesis.” Critical Readings on Global Slavery (4 vols.). Brill, 2017. 43-57.
US History. “The Southern Argument for Slavery.” Ushistory.org, Independence Hall Association, www.ushistory.org/us/27f.asp.