Brian Colbert
Anti-Slavery
Paper 5 Pro-slavery Argument
In the 1830s the anti-slave movement grew rapidly across the country forcing southern slave owners to become more politically engaged with the fight over slavery. While abolitionists were working hard to immediately end slavery, southern pro slavery advocates had to develop ways to justify the institution of slavery. Using the ideology of white supremacy, pro slavery advocates used many ways and reasoning’s to defend slavery in the south. One of the major arguments that pro-slavery advocates used was based upon the idea that it was best for society and that it would fall apart if there was an immediate change. The mudsill theory was the building block for this argument. The mudsill theory indicates the proposition that were always has been, and must continue being, a lower class for the upper class to rest upon. Whites shouldn’t have to do menial work when there are less educated non-whites who can. While non-whites did the manual tedious labor, whites would push civilization forward. The argument is weak due to the fact that the mudsill theory was made up for the argument. Using a theory as proof to an argument doesn’t hold up. Using religion was also an argument that pro-slavery advocated used to convince people that slavery was beneficial for society. The major argument based on the bible was that God’s chosen people were slaveholders. Pointing out that Abraham had slaves was a very strong argument because anti-slave supporters also used the bible to argue their cause. Also making it aware that Jesus never spoke out against slavery was very strong. I think that this argument of religion was a good argument because it makes the abolitions bite their tongues. While they are using Christianity to sway these slave owners, they are getting it right back with direct passages from the bible. Slavery can be looked at as a ‘positive good’ in the mind of John C Calhoun. Slavery was good for everyone who was involved in it, including the slaves. Slavery made the south