Lecture Notes: Slavery and Sharecropping

Introduction

• 13th Amendment (1865): Abolished slavery.
• Mississippi Cotton Plantation (1901): Raises questions about the end of slavery.
• Sharecropping: Emerged as a new labor system, often seen as 'slavery by another name.'

Southern Economy Before the Civil War

• Agriculture: Backbone of the Southern economy; particularly cotton.
• Chattel Slavery: Black people were considered property.
  • Paternalism Myth: Slave owners as 'fathers' caring for slaves did not prevent abuses.
  • Frederick Douglass: Described brutal experiences, including physical and spiritual oppression.

Abolition of Slavery

• 13th Amendment: Legally ended slavery.
• Complicated Reality: Despite legal ending, questions about continuity through sharecropping.

Post-War Challenges

• Freed Slaves: Transition to freedom posed economic challenges.
• Sherman's Field Order #15: Proposed land distribution; blocked by Andrew Johnson.

Sharecropping System

• Emergence: After failed attempts at wage labor on plantations.
• Characteristics: Laborers rented land, paid with a share of the crop.
• Debt and Dependence: Sharecroppers, often black, fell into debt due to high interest rates.

Comparisons: Slavery and Sharecropping

• Slavery: Total control over lives, including selling off family members.
• Sharecropping: Some autonomy, but economic pressures and coercion reminiscent of slavery.
• Differences:
  • Sharecroppers had more physical autonomy (e.g., scattered housing layout).
  • Blacks had some control over their time and family life.

Historical Perspective

• Eric Foner's Analysis: Sharecropping didn't offer full autonomy but was a shift from slavery.
• Continued Struggles: Despite challenges, laid foundation for future rights and freedoms.

Conclusion

• Complexity of Historical Narrative: Sharecropping seen as both a continuation and a departure from slavery.
• APUSH Exam Tips: Understanding complexity helps in essay writing.

Further Resources

• APUSH Videos: Recommended for additional study.
• Review Packet: Available for comprehensive exam prep.