HISTORY - Pwrpnt on Sectionalism from class on 5/15

The following is the contents of the POWERPOINT notes that we watched in class on Th. 5/15...

“Sectionalism” in America:

The North:

Northern Classes & Culture:

Class = A person’s status in society

♦ Around the world there were originally only 2 classes of people… High and Low.
- High Class : The wealthy - Low Class: The poor

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The “Industrial Revolution” created new jobs, and made products cheaper. This made room for a 3rd class… The Middle Class.

- Middle Class: Not quite as rich as the highest classes, but able to afford many luxuries that poor people could not have.

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“High Class”… Wealthy Northerners

♦ Made up less than 10 % of Society
♦ Lived in beautiful, comfortable homes with many conveniences.
♦ Looked down on the poor… (most believed that the poor were poor because God wanted it that way…. They considered themselves better people than the lower class.)

“Low Class”… Poor Northerners

♦ Made up the vast majority.
♦ Lived in crowded conditions, with many families in one home
♦ No comfortable furniture. No “luxuries” such as carpets, lamps, mirrors, etc. Little food & often no sewers…
In cities, the streets outside poor homes would be filled with smelling human waste and even dead animals (such as horses and dogs)!
♦ No medical care, poor nutrition, and unclean conditions… many died young!

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“Middle Class”…

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♦ Made their own money, rather than inheriting it from their parents.
♦ Had jobs like lawyers, factory or store owners, ministers, or businessmen.
♦ Could afford some luxuries …
-Homes with some space and privacy
-Nice, comfortable furniture, carpets, & oil lamps (no electricity yet)
-Stoves (rather than just fireplaces) for heating and cooking
-Buying clothes (not always making them), owning more than 2 or 3 outfits
-Medical Care!

-The South

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Southern Classes & Culture

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Only Two FREE Classes…
-High Class : The wealthy - Low Class: The poor

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♦ Almost Everyone was a farmer… Very few people lived in cities or had other jobs!
♦ The south had virtually no “INDUSTRY”
… which meant no Middle Class

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Lower than low… Slaves:
- Slaves: considered lower than anyone, had no rights, and were owned by others.
-Only wealthy southerners could afford slaves… most southerners had none…
but the wealthy few who had plantations often had 100’s of slaves!
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“High Class”… Wealthy Southerners

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Made up only a Small Portion of Society… but dominated it.
♦ A lucky few lived in elegant mansions and spent huge amounts of money on luxuries! (These were the most important and richest members of society)
~ (These people might own 100’s of Slaves!)
♦ The majority of the wealthy lived in 4 to 8 room homes that were comfortable but not luxurious
~(These people usually owned 20 slaves or less)
Being polite, hospitable, and “Christian” was VERY IMPORTANT to these people.
(“Southern Hospitality”)

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“Low Class”… Poor Southerners

Couldn’t afford any slaves.
& Were made up of 2 groups…
♦ Small Farmers:
–Lived in 2 room cabins that they built themselves,
–Made all their own furniture, clothes etc.
–Farmed on fairly good land that produced good crops
–Considered hospitality & Christian behavior just as important as the rich southern ladies and gentlemen.
♦ The Very Poor:
–Lived in badly built 1 room cabins
–Could only afford the worst land, grew bad crops, and ate very poorly.
–Children usually didn’t develop properly mentally or physically due to poor nutrition.
–Often had horrible diseases

What Caused “Sectionalism”?

Differences Between North & South:

The Southern economy was based on farming and using slaves…
Most southerners defended slavery because they needed it.
The Northern economy was based on manufacturing (factories)…
Most Northerners believed slavery was wrong.

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The South had almost no middle class
The North had a large middle class

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The South had few cities… so they were exposed to few new ideas! ...
The North had many cities… so many different people brought in new ideas! ...

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… The South was very traditional, conservative, & very religious
… The North was much less traditional, more liberal, & a bit less religious