Final answer:
Slave holders justified slavery by arguing that it was a necessary evil, that it generated wealth and allowed white men to pursue their talents, and that enslaved people were cared for and exposed to Christianity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Slave holders justified slavery in several ways. One common argument was that prohibiting slavery's expansion violated property rights. They also critiqued wage labor in the North, stating that it was worse than slavery. Additionally, slave holders argued that slavery was a positive good for the United States, generating wealth and allowing white men to pursue their talents. They claimed that enslaved people were cared for and exposed to Christianity, and that the United States had a destiny to create an empire of slavery.