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Slavery in Mississippi

Slavery in Mississippi . Black Codes. Governor Bienville issued a set of laws in 1724 They granted slaves only a few rights but did provide protection Blacks and whites could not marry Could not own property Gathering in groups was restricted

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Slavery in Mississippi

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  1. Slavery in Mississippi

  2. Black Codes • Governor Bienville issued a set of laws in 1724 • They granted slaves only a few rights but did provide protection • Blacks and whites could not marry • Could not own property • Gathering in groups was restricted • When sold, however, could not be separated from families • Could not let them free when they were sick or old • Could not be forced to work on Sundays or holidays • Freed slaves received the privileges of any free citizen • The French Settlement at Natchez (Fort Rosalie) prospered on behalf of slave labor • Cleared the land and raised tobacco and indigo

  3. Cotton Production • Agriculture and lumber production was the main occupation for slaves • Invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793 increased the production and growth of cotton in Mississippi and in the south • A slave named Barclay with the help from others built the first gin in Mississippi

  4. King Cotton!!!! • The name describes the importance of cotton to Mississippi • Land in Mississippi was very fertile to grow cotton • Most cotton was grown with slave labor on relatively large farms or plantations • About half of the slave owners owned no more than 5 slaves and only 19 had more than 300 slaves

  5. Being Enslaved • Besides raising cotton, slaves also cooked, cleaned house, tended livestock, made clothes, and cared for small children • Some slaves worked as blacksmiths and carpenters and they were hired out • An overseer was hired to supervise the slave if the owner did not live on the land • Owners and overseers enforced rules in many ways such as whipping but they also gave incentives for good behavior- extra clothing, time off, money, or a party

  6. Protectionism to Ownership • At first under the Black Codes, officials aimed to restrict but yet protect slaves • The laws of Mississippi later called for slaves to be property with no rights and many specific restrictions • The Black Code no longer existed-slaves could be sold separately and could not learn to read and write • Slaves adopted and adapted to Christianity

  7. Slave Resistance • Slaves adopted and adapted Christianity • Slaves resisted their owners • Whites then feared slave revolts and feared free blacks (scared they would start rebellion) • There were no slave rebellions in Mississippi

  8. Freed Men • Free Blacks- most lived in Natchez and Vicksburg • Most prominent free black: William Johnson of Natchez • In the early 1800s new laws required free blacks to leave the states unless the county board of police gave them permission to stay. • The state feared that free blacks might help organize a slave revolt

  9. Antebellum Society • Economy: • Land was cheap, price of cotton high • Specie-gold and silver • Andrew Jackson withdrew governments money from Bank of the United States and transferred the money to “pet banks” (state banks) • Natchez had a pet bank • Problem: banks did not have enough specie to back up money circulation; money was not worth what the face value was • Solution: Specie Circular of 1836-pay for land with specie and not paper money. Also redeem paper money with specie • When banks could not redeem in specie they collapsed • Panic of 1837-depression hit Mississippi hard • Cotton prices tumbled • Banks disappeared

  10. Transportation • Slow and difficult • Dirt roads were dusty and had rutted land and muddy paths Wagon pulled by oxen- could only travel 20 miles a day • Steamboats! Carried cotton and other goods on the Mississippi River • Most of our cotton went to New Orleans then to textile mills in England • Railroads-Two Stages • 1. Bring cotton to river port • 2.Small railroads combined to join major cities in nation • Most successful early Railroad- Vicksburg and Jackson

  11. Education • Public education developed slowly • No schools for black children • School terms were short-lasted less than 3 months • Higher education- private and religious organizations • Jefferson College and Oakland College- for young men… did not survive the Civil War • Hampstead Academy in 1826 became baptist and renamed Mississippi College in 1850

  12. Religion • Largest denomination were the Methodists and Baptists • Smaller denominations: Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Catholics • Local churches- had both black and white members

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