Slavery was a significant part of the American social and economic system from the beginning of the nation until the 19th century when the Thirteenth Amendment was approved. It deprived Africans and African Americans of freedom and basic human rights. Slavery was legal and endorsed by the government, church, and other official institutions. However, in the 1830s it became a subject of heated debates when opponents of slavery raised their heads and the supporters had to put up their defense. Up until now the events, which led to the controversy, and the arguments of both parties continue to arouse interest. This paper will attempt to explore the common moral justifications of slavery and the reasons why they appeared.
At the beginning of the 19th century, slavery was approved by the majority of the American population. According to Goldfield et al. (2011), slavery was frequently referred to as “a necessary evil, an unfortunate legacy from earlier generations, that was needed to maintain racial peace” (p. 297). The existing order of things did not create doubts or moral concerns. Thus, there was no need in defending slavery due to its widespread acceptance.
The 1830th became a changing point in the social situation. A few events brought slavery into the bright spotlight and created some agitation around the subject. First of all, it was the well-known Nut Turner’s Rebellion in 1831 that stirred an altercation. The revolt included 75 enslaved black people and resulted in the murder of 51 white people. It planted fear in the hearts of the whites and ensued in harsher pro-slavery laws, which deepened the conflict between the slaveholders and the “free-soilers”.
Another event that drew social attention to the problem of slavery was the bull issued by Pope Gregory XVI in 1839. It condemned the institution of slavery as a religious abomination. The Pope claimed, “not only that Christians should regard as their brothers their slaves and, above all, their Christian slaves, but that they should be more inclined to set free those who merited it” (In Supremo Apostolatus, 2017, para. 2). However, this appeal did not coerce slaveholders to free their slaves but compelled them to raise their defense.
The common justification of slavery was made through selective reading of the Bible, and it focused on the patriarchal authority being the basis of all the Christian communities. It recognized the blacks as an inferior race, that needed fatherly care in sickness and old age from the whites. Thus, the concept was claimed to be part of God’s plan to Christianize the blacks and teach them skills, useful for society. Therefore, slavery was viewed as a positive good, and society approved of it. To prove the paternal attitude towards their slaves, some Southerners tried to take better care of them, providing them with better living conditions and even setting some of them free. Of course, these are acts of kindness were partial measures and could not be compared to actual fatherly treatment. The slaveholding paternalism, developed in the 1830s, continued until the 1950s. Eventually, it set off a crusade to abolish slavery, which resulted in slaveholders being barred from religious conventions in the 1850s.
In consolidation, the institution of slavery, which existed since the beginning of the American nation, went through the process of complete approval to abolishment. A number of milestone events, like the revolt of Nat Turner and the bull of Pope Gregory XVI, intensified the debates between the supporters and opponents of slavery, both secular and religious. The latter evolved from justifying the notion of slavery by the use of selective Bible readings to denouncing the concept and taking active measures against slaveholders.
References
Goldfield, D., Abbot, C., Anderson, V.D.J., Argersinger, J.A.E., Barney, W.L., & Weir, R.M. (2011). The American journey: A history of the United States (6th ed.). Pearson.
In supremo apostolatus: Condemning the slave trade. Pope Gregory XVI – 1839. (2017). Web.