Final answer:
Southern leadership used arguments based on white supremacy, economic prosperity, paternalism, and states' rights to defend slavery.
Step-by-step explanation:
Southern leadership used various arguments in their defense of slavery. One of the main arguments was the belief in white supremacy, which claimed that whites were superior to other races and therefore had the right to enslave them. They also argued that slavery was necessary for the economic prosperity of the South, as it provided cheap labor for industries such as agriculture and mining.
Additionally, they argued that enslaved people were better off under the care and control of their owners, as they were seen as incapable of taking care of themselves. They believed that by providing food, shelter, and clothing, slaveholders were fulfilling a paternalistic duty.
Another argument used by Southern leadership was the idea of states' rights. They claimed that the federal government had no authority to interfere with the institution of slavery, as it fell under the jurisdiction of individual states.
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