Final answer:
The early American republic protected slavery to some extent, with the South defending it for economic and social reasons while the North pushed for a free labor system and critiqued slavery's impact on social mobility and economic progress.
Step-by-step explanation:
The early American republic to some extent attempted to protect slavery due to economic interests and differing perspectives on the institution between the North and the South. Southern slave owners and their economic system were vastly tied to slavery, considering it an essential part of their society and economy, going so far as to justify it as a positive good. Conversely, Northerners, particularly Republicans, pushed for the establishment of a free labor system, which they believed would promote hard work, frugality, and industry—qualities they felt were absent in the South due to its reliance on slave labor. Nonetheless, the South held significant political power at the national level, often thwarting Northern efforts toward promoting a free labor system.
Issues like social mobility for free workers and the moral and economic impact of slavery created a clear divide between Northern and Southern perspectives. While the North argued that slavery impoverished non-slaveholders and stunted social progress, the South defended slavery as a more benevolent and stable social system, essential for the advancement of white civilization and the Southern economy.