Arkansas Slavery

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Pages: 4

1. Describe life for the planter and plantation mistress on a large antebellum plantation. Some planters lived in mansions reminiscent of castles built by kings in Europe. Elevating their elite status by building larger and larger homes was common; although, some chose to keep their riches tied up in slaves and live in modest homes. Always seeking profit, planters would move frequently. This was stressful for their family. Many planters took slave women as mistresses and conceived mixed race children. These mixed children would be treated like slaves but served as a constant reminder of the husbands’ indiscretions to the wife of the planter.
2. Describe daily life for a typical plantation slave. Slaves worked under the gang-labor
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While still part of Louisiana Territory, slaves had restrictions placed on them in the Arkansas territory. Official slave code would be passed in 1837 and outline what was permissible for slaves. Slaves were not allowed to possess guns, hold meetings, associate with whites, or purchase goods without permission from their master. Freed blacks that wished to remain in Arkansas had to post bond and prove they were free before being allowed to remain in the state. Although the codes would change over time, slaves in Arkansas were treated however their masters pleased, the codes offered no protection for …show more content…
Was King Cotton a benefit or a hindrance to the South’s development? Explain by examining such topics as economic diversification, cotton and the environment, and plantation life. Northern and Southern economies varied greatly. Industrialization in the North was king while agriculture, namely cotton, was king in the South. The dry fall seasons and wet spring and summer seasons made it perfect for cotton growth in the South. Wide open farming spaces in the new southern territories leaned towards agriculture development since planters could expand to new land when they used up the soil. The North was landlocked in most placed and leaned towards creating industrial profits on existing land. In some ways, this was better for the land but not so much for the environment. Many southern industries were closely related to agriculture (i.e. lumber mills, granaries). These industries where only one processes away from the growth process. Northern industries would often produce finished products through multiple steps. The whole southern industrial output was about thirty percent of the industrial output of Massachusetts. This is where dominance of cotton in the economy would stand