Final answer:
People justified slavery through paternalism and the belief that it was a positive good, arguing that slavery generated wealth and that the enslaved were better off under their care.
Step-by-step explanation:
The justification for allowing slavery to continue, despite the strong moral and religious beliefs and the ideals of American liberty, was multifaceted. Southern whites frequently relied upon the idea of paternalism to argue that they were acting in the best interests of the enslaved, providing care, feeding, discipline, and Christian morality. This reasoning was a gross misrepresentation of the reality of slavery, which was a dehumanizing and traumatising experience. Slavery was defended by its apologists as a necessary evil turned positive good, suggesting that it was beneficial for the United States in generating wealth and that the enslaved were better off under the conditions they provided than as free people in Africa. Despite the contradiction with the principles of liberty and equality, both northern and southern Americans felt their freedoms were at stake and viewed their positions through the lens of political and economic liberties guaranteed by the Constitution.