Based on the readings for Weeks 2 and 3, answer the
following question: to what extent were the North and South different societies?
Consider perceptions at the time, and
the views of historians since.
The Southerner's saw themselves as superior to the Northerners. They based this on one crucial factor; slavery. Because of it they had no "mobs, trade unions or strikes for higher wages," and that "wealth [was] more evenly distributed" in the South. The Southerners believed that because they had slaves to do work for them they had more free time for education and thus had a higher education level than those in the North. The Northerners however saw themselves as more intelligent and wealthier than the South. They believed slavery was bad for an economy and that slaves cost a lot when you factor in clothes and shelter and food you have to provide them that you wouldn't have to provide the "free man." They also believed that the "free time" the Southerners had was no used to further their education and created "indolence" as a "prevailing characteristic."
While there are certain similarities between Northern and Southern societies such as language, heritage and common laws (Potter), there are fundamental differences which ultimately divide the two into separate cultures. The key contribution to this divide was slavery which provided the foundations of all social, economic and industrial aspects of southern life. Contrastingly, the labour force in the North – largely from foreign immigration – helped establish a modern, industrialised society.
Strong anti-slavery sentiments in the North prompted Northerners to perceive the South as a backward, stagnant and immoral society, inferior to the ingenuity of Northern modernization. In the South however, Northern society was perceived as “cold hearted”, “weak minded” (Fitzhugh) and corrupt.
The differences in the North and Souths economic structure were very significant. Economic changes would be instrumental in shaping the societies social and family life (Levine) and would therefore shape societies that were very different from one another.
The South's 'Slave' economy seemed to give slave owners more spare time. "peace" and "quiet". seems to define the south according to Fitzhugh. It also seemed to keep the family unit together at home, with minimal travel, therefore decreasing what Hammond calls 'isms' that are supposedly more present in the North.
The North's increase in business and professional occupations increasingly moved men out of the house during the day. According to Levine, this seemed to create "separate spheres": one for Women at home, and one for men at work. Socializing was becoming less about hospitality in your own home, like in the South, and more about meeting in public places: Saloons, Sports games, Theater's and Museums.
Looking from afar the Northern and Southern societies share many similarities, including, law, religious beliefs and language . However on closer inspection it can be seen that the Northern and Southern societies were in fact very different.
The South was a slave society. Agriculture was a key element of this slave society and the Southern economy relied on it. The large percentage of slave in the south "sustained [S]outhern commercial agriculture" (Levine, 2005).
In contrast, the North was a market society. Technological advances influenced a move towards industrialization in the North which lead to a move from a local economy, as it was in the South towards "the cash rewards of an often distant marketplace" (Stokes & Conway, 1996).
The North and South societies were, to a significantly large extent, diverse. These differences stemmed from areas of politics, religion and the basic, fundamental aspects of everyday social life. Principles and the practice of slavery (South) with that of free labour (North), also set the two apart.
While the South viewed themselves as a society defined by the characteristics of “peace, quiet, plenty and contentment” (Fitzhugh, 1854), because of their lack of mobs and trade unions, they saw the opposing North as a community made up of millionaires who were nothing more than “men of cold hearts and weak minds” (Fitzhugh). Southerners held conviction that it was their society which remained free from “symptoms of decay” (Fitzhugh), those of which were destructively eating away at the North.
The North, however, saw the South as a State that failed to have in place any elements that would allow for a prosperous, flourishing society where the economy would be continuous and always developing (like they themselves had). Northerners, through their anti-slavery opinions, ideas and conceptions, believed the people of the South to be individuals who were willing to “close [their] eyes to every evil” (Olmsted, 1854), instead labelling practices, such as slavery, as constitutional and necessary. The defining difference between the two States was clear to those in the North- while the South ignored the sufferings of those condemned to a life of slavery, the North worked to “develop the reform” through destroying any useless “weight and drapery” (Olmsted) attached to it.
As the years went on the differences between North and South grew. Even though there were some similarities between their societies, the core aspects of the societies were quite different. The key aspect that caused the differences between the North and South society to grow was slavery.
South was entrenched in a Folk type of Culture, who were Pro -Slavery and had employed slaves to do majority of their agricultural work and believed that “every plantation” was “a little community”(Calhoun, 1838) whose abilities and needs kept them “perfectly harmonized”(Calhoun), and strongly believed in “the humaneness of [that] system”(Levine, 2005). Whereas North were more of an industrial culture who relied more on machines and semi killed labor than slaves, which lead to “a complete revolution in social life and domestic manner” (Levine). This key difference would also turn out to be driving force behind the civil war.
The North and the South were fundamentally different societies. These differences stemmed from their perception, advocacy and employment of slavery. In the South slavery was rife. The pinnacle economic source was agriculture and in turn slavery to fuel the agricultural sector (Levine). Slaves were a precious commodity and resource to Southerners, thus creating a basis for social and economic life. So much so that the South has been described as a ‘Slave Society’; a society which would economically and socially not exist and prosper without slaves. In contrast, the North were nearing industrialisation and technological advancement (Stoke & Conway). The dependence on agriculture economically was slim in the North and so too were their dependence on slavery. This is not to say Northerners did not have slaves. However, the prevalence and dependence on slavery was far less than the South. Essentially, the two shared commonalities such as heritage, law and language. However, economically and socially they differed dramatically and the system of slavery caused a great divide (Potter).
Economically, both societies relied heavily upon agriculture; however with the North’s shift away from this system, to one of industry and factory, transformed the North’s economy into a cash-economy. The South’s economy however was very dependent upon the slaves as they provided the manpower to increase the wealth of their farms; specifically slaves were used for the cotton trade (Wyatt-Brown, 2001). With this economic shift came social changes. It was common in both societies for men and women to share roles in the household because of the self-sufficient nature of their lives. The introduction of ‘social spheres’ for men and women now meant that in the North, women were only required to concern themselves of matters that were ‘private’, and left the ‘public’ and ‘political’ aspects of life to their male counterparts, whilst the South stayed relatively self-sufficient (Levine, 2005). In terms of development, the North was slowly becoming a highly innovative society, with the introduction of new transportation and communication systems, the South was not immune to these new developments, but did not integrate them into their society as thoroughly as the North did.
Both were capitalist with the South relying on agricultural produce and North on produce and industrial manufactured goods but Northern views also attacked Southern use of slavery at a time when the world trend was of free labour and the oligarchic society of the ‘planter elite’. Southerners were judgemental of Northern urbanisation and critical of skewed political power interwoven with industrial entrepreneurs viewed as detrimental to the working class. Southern states were unable to identify the paradox of an equal society that used slaves as capital while Northerners asserted the end of slavery for competition in an international market with industrial reforms. The North used capitalism as a way of creating a higher education in its citizens and formed state owned culture in libraries and theatre, basing their modernisation on their own system. The South favoured their system for the amount of land granted to its smaller population and nostalgic tendencies of colonisation. Andrew Hunter
The South and North were certainly different societies, which they themselves were fully aware of.
Thomas Jefferson’s ‘perception of difference’ is one case of a Northerner distinguishing themselves from a Southerner. Jefferson believed that Northerners were ‘hard working’ and ‘independent’, whereas Southerners were ‘unsteady’ and ‘voluptuous’.
However, the differences between the two states are more profound. The fact is that there were deep economic, social, and political differences between the North and the South. The North was a modernising, urban culture that focused on industry, while the South was a folk, rural culture that relied heavily on agriculture. For example, 20 per cent of Northerners lived in cities, while only 10 per cent of Southerners did. In addition, 84 per cent of Southerners worked in agriculture, as opposed to 40 per cent of Northerners.
A major difference between the North and South was their use of slavery. The South was not just a society with slaves; it was in fact a ‘slave society’. Slavery was absolutely fundamental to their economy, social structure and political structure. In contrast, slavery was never fundamental to Northern society.
Historians such as David Potter have observed a number of commonalities that existed between Northern and Southern societies. He describes a “cultural homogeny” evident through the law, religious practices and beliefs, the political system, language and heritage and racism of these two societies. However, these similarities are deceptive and if one delves deeper it is apparent that the North and South were intrinsically different. The view of contemporaries outlines the extent of this divide. The North and South were keenly aware of their differences. These differences were believed to exist within the cultural, political and economic spheres and even extend to the individual character and personality of the people. The north was an increasingly modernizing society while the south remained more rural and dependent on agriculture. The difference in education and infrastructure was distinct but the most marked difference between the northern and southern states was their opposing views on slavery.
It is true that the economic structure of the North and South were very different, with the South a staunch "slave society," and the North an emerging "market society." Regardless of this, there were still many similarities, too many to categorise the North and South as completely separate societies.
Firstly, both the North and South operated businesses with the intent to raise capital. Both were capitalist societies, with the South creating a market surplus through the use of slave labour, and the North through specialisation and the split of manufacturing and assembly.
Secondly, neither society was equal or classless, both having a small upper class gaining the most wealth from the two brands of successful capitalism.
The north and south comprised of two different socities both at the political and economic level as well as in the social and individual habits of thier respectivie citizens.
The north a 'free society' based on a paid industrious workforce removed itself from slavery beliving that individual hapiness and rights created a more robust economy and a more functioning society. The south, a slave holding society, based its economy on agricultural domination. The slave and land owners saw their way of life superior to the northerns not only due to thier wealth but in their percetptions on slaves. Southerners believed that they were helping slaves become better people and were giving them better opertunities than they had when they were free.
There were a number of important differences between the North and South which fuelled their division, most notably the issue of slavery.
Southern life was based almost entirely on slavery, as it shaped the economic, political, social, and cultural standings of the South. To the Southerners, to own a slave was simply within their rights, and furthermore, once the slave was owned it became their “property”, or an asset, which could be bought and sold for profit (Levine). Northerners perceived Southern reliance on slavery as the source of their “impeded progress and prosperity” (Helper), and cause for “stagnation” and lack of improvement (Olmsted).
Unlike the South, Northern ambition and desire for improvement had led to the successful development of an industrial society which spurred an economic transformation, and encouraged trade and export of Northern goods (Stokes & Conway). This transformation was not well received by the Southerners, who claimed that Northern wealth was not equally distributed as it was in the South, which led to a few millionaires with “cold hearts” and “weak minds” who failed to use their wealth to benefit themselves and other Northerners (Fitzhugh).
In comparing both the Northern and Southern societies there are significant differences between the two, primarily economically and socially. In the North, due to their immense focus on the agricultural industry, there wasn’t much growth industrially or structurally due to Southerners’ ‘unexpansive mind’ (Perman, 1998). In the North they did experience technological and industrial growth.
In the South there is a great dependence on slavery, with the South claiming it is fundamental to their survival and prosperity, essentially creating a ‘slave society.’ However, in the North, no such reliance exists. It was argued that there was a greater distribution of wealth in the South and slaves were well taken care of and provided for by their owners. However, in the North, the majority of property and wealth lied in the hands of a ‘few millionaires’ (Perman, 2008).
In 1856, George Templeton Strong described two distinct social systems in the North and South and claimed that conflict between the two was inevitable and even necessary. The myriad factors that eventuated in such conflict involved cultural, economic and political differences, all of which had their roots entrenched in slavery.
Economically, the South relied heavily on slave labour to prosper as an agricultural society. Comparatively, the Northern states were going through a period of industrialization and a manufacturing boom.
Culturally the South was a more insular society than the North, with slave owning families having little need to venture outside of their comfortable circumstances. Northern critics of the South claimed that this not only resulted in a lack of cultural growth, but that Southerners were essentially an indolent and backwards society, in which the elite slave owners were oppressing the lower Southern classes.
The emergence of a Second Religious Awakening in the North also allowed for further condemnation of slavery, as it defied many of the intrinsic principles behind the evangelical Protestantism present in the North. Northern evangelicals viewed slavery as a sin, and that society was to be cleansed of such an immoral institution.
Although the Northern and Southern societies shared a number of similarities including common law and language, their economic and ideological dynamics were very different. The North and South were almost two different civilisations as a result of slavery.
The Souths economy was largely reliant on its' cotton production and therefore its' slaves. It can be said that slavery had replaced land as the Souths primary commodity. It was vital for its' survival and continuance of profit among the Southern plantation owners. Fitzhugh claimed that within the South there were “none who [were] over-worked or under-fed”.
The North, a much more urbanized and industrial society questioned the benefits of slavery and concluded that they were in fact not as profitable as the free man.
The Southerner's saw themselves as superior to the Northerners. They based this on one crucial factor; slavery. Because of it they had no "mobs, trade unions or strikes for higher wages," and that "wealth [was] more evenly distributed" in the South. The Southerners believed that because they had slaves to do work for them they had more free time for education and thus had a higher education level than those in the North. The Northerners however saw themselves as more intelligent and wealthier than the South. They believed slavery was bad for an economy and that slaves cost a lot when you factor in clothes and shelter and food you have to provide them that you wouldn't have to provide the "free man." They also believed that the "free time" the Southerners had was no used to further their education and created "indolence" as a "prevailing characteristic."
ReplyDeleteWhile there are certain similarities between Northern and Southern societies such as language, heritage and common laws (Potter), there are fundamental differences which ultimately divide the two into separate cultures. The key contribution to this divide was slavery which provided the foundations of all social, economic and industrial aspects of southern life. Contrastingly, the labour force in the North – largely from foreign immigration – helped establish a modern, industrialised society.
ReplyDeleteStrong anti-slavery sentiments in the North prompted Northerners to perceive the South as a backward, stagnant and immoral society, inferior to the ingenuity of Northern modernization. In the South however, Northern society was perceived as “cold hearted”, “weak minded” (Fitzhugh) and corrupt.
Juliana Mare
The differences in the North and Souths economic structure were very significant. Economic changes would be instrumental in shaping the societies social and family life (Levine) and would therefore shape societies that were very different from one another.
ReplyDeleteThe South's 'Slave' economy seemed to give slave owners more spare time. "peace" and "quiet". seems to define the south according to Fitzhugh. It also seemed to keep the family unit together at home, with minimal travel, therefore decreasing what Hammond calls 'isms' that are supposedly more present in the North.
The North's increase in business and professional occupations increasingly moved men out of the house during the day. According to Levine, this seemed to create "separate spheres": one for Women at home, and one for men at work. Socializing was becoming less about hospitality in your own home, like in the South, and more about meeting in public places: Saloons, Sports games, Theater's and Museums.
Looking from afar the Northern and Southern societies share many similarities, including, law, religious beliefs and language . However on closer inspection it can be seen that the Northern and Southern societies were in fact very different.
ReplyDeleteThe South was a slave society. Agriculture was a key element of this slave society and the Southern economy relied on it. The large percentage of slave in the south "sustained [S]outhern commercial agriculture" (Levine, 2005).
In contrast, the North was a market society. Technological advances influenced a move towards industrialization in the North which lead to a move from a local economy, as it was in the South towards "the cash rewards of an often distant marketplace" (Stokes & Conway, 1996).
The North and South societies were, to a significantly large extent, diverse. These differences stemmed from areas of politics, religion and the basic, fundamental aspects of everyday social life. Principles and the practice of slavery (South) with that of free labour (North), also set the two apart.
ReplyDeleteWhile the South viewed themselves as a society defined by the characteristics of “peace, quiet, plenty and contentment” (Fitzhugh, 1854), because of their lack of mobs and trade unions, they saw the opposing North as a community made up of millionaires who were nothing more than “men of cold hearts and weak minds” (Fitzhugh). Southerners held conviction that it was their society which remained free from “symptoms of decay” (Fitzhugh), those of which were destructively eating away at the North.
The North, however, saw the South as a State that failed to have in place any elements that would allow for a prosperous, flourishing society where the economy would be continuous and always developing (like they themselves had). Northerners, through their anti-slavery opinions, ideas and conceptions, believed the people of the South to be individuals who were willing to “close [their] eyes to every evil” (Olmsted, 1854), instead labelling practices, such as slavery, as constitutional and necessary. The defining difference between the two States was clear to those in the North- while the South ignored the sufferings of those condemned to a life of slavery, the North worked to “develop the reform” through destroying any useless “weight and drapery” (Olmsted) attached to it.
As the years went on the differences between North and South grew. Even though there were some similarities between their societies, the core aspects of the societies were quite different. The key aspect that caused the differences between the North and South society to grow was slavery.
ReplyDeleteSouth was entrenched in a Folk type of Culture, who were Pro -Slavery and had employed slaves to do majority of their agricultural work and believed that “every plantation” was “a little community”(Calhoun, 1838) whose abilities and needs kept them “perfectly harmonized”(Calhoun), and strongly believed in “the humaneness of [that] system”(Levine, 2005). Whereas North were more of an industrial culture who relied more on machines and semi killed labor than slaves, which lead to “a complete revolution in social life and domestic manner” (Levine). This key difference would also turn out to be driving force behind the civil war.
The North and the South were fundamentally different societies. These differences stemmed from their perception, advocacy and employment of slavery. In the South slavery was rife. The pinnacle economic source was agriculture and in turn slavery to fuel the agricultural sector (Levine). Slaves were a precious commodity and resource to Southerners, thus creating a basis for social and economic life. So much so that the South has been described as a ‘Slave Society’; a society which would economically and socially not exist and prosper without slaves.
ReplyDeleteIn contrast, the North were nearing industrialisation and technological advancement (Stoke & Conway). The dependence on agriculture economically was slim in the North and so too were their dependence on slavery. This is not to say Northerners did not have slaves. However, the prevalence and dependence on slavery was far less than the South.
Essentially, the two shared commonalities such as heritage, law and language. However, economically and socially they differed dramatically and the system of slavery caused a great divide (Potter).
Economically, both societies relied heavily upon agriculture; however with the North’s shift away from this system, to one of industry and factory, transformed the North’s economy into a cash-economy. The South’s economy however was very dependent upon the slaves as they provided the manpower to increase the wealth of their farms; specifically slaves were used for the cotton trade (Wyatt-Brown, 2001). With this economic shift came social changes. It was common in both societies for men and women to share roles in the household because of the self-sufficient nature of their lives. The introduction of ‘social spheres’ for men and women now meant that in the North, women were only required to concern themselves of matters that were ‘private’, and left the ‘public’ and ‘political’ aspects of life to their male counterparts, whilst the South stayed relatively self-sufficient (Levine, 2005). In terms of development, the North was slowly becoming a highly innovative society, with the introduction of new transportation and communication systems, the South was not immune to these new developments, but did not integrate them into their society as thoroughly as the North did.
ReplyDelete-Madeleine Ball
Both were capitalist with the South relying on agricultural produce and North on produce and industrial manufactured goods but Northern views also attacked Southern use of slavery at a time when the world trend was of free labour and the oligarchic society of the ‘planter elite’. Southerners were judgemental of Northern urbanisation and critical of skewed political power interwoven with industrial entrepreneurs viewed as detrimental to the working class. Southern states were unable to identify the paradox of an equal society that used slaves as capital while Northerners asserted the end of slavery for competition in an international market with industrial reforms. The North used capitalism as a way of creating a higher education in its citizens and formed state owned culture in libraries and theatre, basing their modernisation on their own system. The South favoured their system for the amount of land granted to its smaller population and nostalgic tendencies of colonisation.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Hunter
The South and North were certainly different societies, which they themselves were fully aware of.
ReplyDeleteThomas Jefferson’s ‘perception of difference’ is one case of a Northerner distinguishing themselves from a Southerner. Jefferson believed that Northerners were ‘hard working’ and ‘independent’, whereas Southerners were ‘unsteady’ and ‘voluptuous’.
However, the differences between the two states are more profound. The fact is that there were deep economic, social, and political differences between the North and the South. The North was a modernising, urban culture that focused on industry, while the South was a folk, rural culture that relied heavily on agriculture. For example, 20 per cent of Northerners lived in cities, while only 10 per cent of Southerners did. In addition, 84 per cent of Southerners worked in agriculture, as opposed to 40 per cent of Northerners.
A major difference between the North and South was their use of slavery. The South was not just a society with slaves; it was in fact a ‘slave society’. Slavery was absolutely fundamental to their economy, social structure and political structure. In contrast, slavery was never fundamental to Northern society.
-Selina Meuross
Historians such as David Potter have observed a number of commonalities that existed between Northern and Southern societies. He describes a “cultural homogeny” evident through the law, religious practices and beliefs, the political system, language and heritage and racism of these two societies. However, these similarities are deceptive and if one delves deeper it is apparent that the North and South were intrinsically different.
ReplyDeleteThe view of contemporaries outlines the extent of this divide. The North and South were keenly aware of their differences. These differences were believed to exist within the cultural, political and economic spheres and even extend to the individual character and personality of the people. The north was an increasingly modernizing society while the south remained more rural and dependent on agriculture. The difference in education and infrastructure was distinct but the most marked difference between the northern and southern states was their opposing views on slavery.
It is true that the economic structure of the North and South were very different, with the South a staunch "slave society," and the North an emerging "market society." Regardless of this, there were still many similarities, too many to categorise the North and South as completely separate societies.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, both the North and South operated businesses with the intent to raise capital. Both were capitalist societies, with the South creating a market surplus through the use of slave labour, and the North through specialisation and the split of manufacturing and assembly.
Secondly, neither society was equal or classless, both having a small upper class gaining the most wealth from the two brands of successful capitalism.
-Alex Callahan
The north and south comprised of two different socities both at the political and economic level as well as in the social and individual habits of thier respectivie citizens.
ReplyDeleteThe north a 'free society' based on a paid industrious workforce removed itself from slavery beliving that individual hapiness and rights created a more robust economy and a more functioning society.
The south, a slave holding society, based its economy on agricultural domination. The slave and land owners saw their way of life superior to the northerns not only due to thier wealth but in their percetptions on slaves. Southerners believed that they were helping slaves become better people and were giving them better opertunities than they had when they were free.
Daniel James
There were a number of important differences between the North and South which fuelled their division, most notably the issue of slavery.
ReplyDeleteSouthern life was based almost entirely on slavery, as it shaped the economic, political, social, and cultural standings of the South. To the Southerners, to own a slave was simply within their rights, and furthermore, once the slave was owned it became their “property”, or an asset, which could be bought and sold for profit (Levine). Northerners perceived Southern reliance on slavery as the source of their “impeded progress and prosperity” (Helper), and cause for “stagnation” and lack of improvement (Olmsted).
Unlike the South, Northern ambition and desire for improvement had led to the successful development of an industrial society which spurred an economic transformation, and encouraged trade and export of Northern goods (Stokes & Conway). This transformation was not well received by the Southerners, who claimed that Northern wealth was not equally distributed as it was in the South, which led to a few millionaires with “cold hearts” and “weak minds” who failed to use their wealth to benefit themselves and other Northerners (Fitzhugh).
Nicole Mileto
In comparing both the Northern and Southern societies there are significant differences between the two, primarily economically and socially. In the North, due to their immense focus on the agricultural industry, there wasn’t much growth industrially or structurally due to Southerners’ ‘unexpansive mind’ (Perman, 1998). In the North they did experience technological and industrial growth.
ReplyDeleteIn the South there is a great dependence on slavery, with the South claiming it is fundamental to their survival and prosperity, essentially creating a ‘slave society.’ However, in the North, no such reliance exists. It was argued that there was a greater distribution of wealth in the South and slaves were well taken care of and provided for by their owners. However, in the North, the majority of property and wealth lied in the hands of a ‘few millionaires’ (Perman, 2008).
Sandra Ghazale
In 1856, George Templeton Strong described two distinct social systems in the North and South and claimed that conflict between the two was inevitable and even necessary. The myriad factors that eventuated in such conflict involved cultural, economic and political differences, all of which had their roots entrenched in slavery.
ReplyDeleteEconomically, the South relied heavily on slave labour to prosper as an agricultural society. Comparatively, the Northern states were going through a period of industrialization and a manufacturing boom.
Culturally the South was a more insular society than the North, with slave owning families having little need to venture outside of their comfortable circumstances. Northern critics of the South claimed that this not only resulted in a lack of cultural growth, but that Southerners were essentially an indolent and backwards society, in which the elite slave owners were oppressing the lower Southern classes.
The emergence of a Second Religious Awakening in the North also allowed for further condemnation of slavery, as it defied many of the intrinsic principles behind the evangelical Protestantism present in the North. Northern evangelicals viewed slavery as a sin, and that society was to be cleansed of such an immoral institution.
Although the Northern and Southern societies shared a number of similarities including common law and language, their economic and ideological dynamics were very different. The North and South were almost two different civilisations as a result of slavery.
ReplyDeleteThe Souths economy was largely reliant on its' cotton production and therefore its' slaves. It can be said that slavery had replaced land as the Souths primary commodity. It was vital for its' survival and continuance of profit among the Southern plantation owners. Fitzhugh claimed that within the South there were “none who [were] over-worked or under-fed”.
The North, a much more urbanized and industrial society questioned the benefits of slavery and concluded that they were in fact not as profitable as the free man.