Compare And Contrast The Social System Between 1820 And 1860
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The years 1820 – 1860 focused on the social society based on slavery in the South. Before the sudden rise of slavery during 1820 – 1860, slavery had already began way before, however, the percentage of slavery decreased until the cotton gin was invented that changed the economy of the South. Slavery then grew in the South because of the high production of cotton, which benefits the South and the United States as well. Eventually, slavery became abolished by the end of the Civil War.
The gang system, which was a forced labor system against slaves in the South, developed in the early 19th century. Southern society was similar to a feudal system that existed in Europe during the Dark and Middle Ages. It was very difficult to move up the social ladder in the South particularly for slaves. Their caste system was based on white supremacy and the…show more content… One estimate places the number of African Americans who escaped through the Underground Railroad between 1830 and 1860 at 50,000. In addition, the Underground Railroad provided food, shelter, and hiding places to runaway slaves as they escaped to Canada.
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 stated that every escaped slave that is found must be returned to their owner.This act attempted to influence those in free states to return the runaway fugitive slaves to their masters.
In 1854, Stephen Douglas sought a transcontinental railroad be built in the North but had to convince the South otherwise. This led to him proposing a plan that the Kansas and Nebraska territories be opened up to slavery in return for constructing the railroad in the North which became known as the Kansas and Nebraska Act. However, this act resulted in Bleeding Kansas which caused several acts of violence between proslavery and antislavery settlers. This marked the first violent outbreaks between the North and South in addition to the first battles of the Civil