Question

Why did the southern states support keeping slavery?

Answer 1

Answer: It was the basis for their entire economy.

Explanation:

Unlike the North, which had less arable lands, the South was extremely fertile and therefore developed into an agricultural based economy. They farmed cotton and tobacco, which were both labor-intensive crops. Specifically, cotton plantations required pickers to walk the fields in the burning sun trailing sacks that would weigh up to 100 pounds when full. Their hands would end up bloody from the sharp spikes of the cotton plant. Even until the end of the Industrial Revolution (from the late 18th to mid 19th century), the economy of the South was still booming from Eli Whitney's cotton gin.

In short, the agricultural based economy was so profitable that the South saw no reason to industrialize. However, the crops that they farmed were extremely labor-intensive and they saw slaves as affordable labor. Racism was normal at the time, with the Vice President of the Confederation preaching "the great truth of racial inequality". All these factors combined led to the persistent use of slave labor in the South.

Answer 2

The southern states supported keeping slavery for a variety of economic, social, and cultural reasons.

One of the main reasons was economic. The southern states were largely agricultural, and slavery was an integral part of the southern economy. Many plantation owners and other farmers relied on slave labor to cultivate and harvest crops such as cotton, tobacco, and sugar cane. Slaves were also used to perform a variety of other tasks on plantations, such as cooking, cleaning, and caring for livestock. Without slaves, plantation owners and other farmers would have had to find other sources of labor, which could have been costly and time-consuming.

In addition to economic reasons, there were also social and cultural factors that contributed to the support for slavery in the southern states. Many white southerners saw slavery as a natural and necessary part of their way of life, and they believed that they were entitled to own slaves as a result of their social status and wealth. Some white southerners also believed that slavery was a necessary institution for the moral and social uplift of African Americans, and that slaves were better off being owned by white masters than living in Africa.

Overall, the support for slavery in the southern states was complex and multifaceted, and it was rooted in a range of economic, social, and cultural factors.