2. Racial inferiority: Many whites believed that Africans were inherently inferior to whites and therefore suited to slavery. They pointed to perceived physical and intellectual differences between the races as justification.
3. Economic dependence: Southern whites argued that slavery was essential to their economy and way of life. They claimed that without slavery, the South's agricultural economy would collapse, leading to widespread poverty.
4. State rights and nullification: Southerners invoked states' rights and nullification to resist federal interference with slavery. They argued that the federal government had no authority to regulate slavery within the states, and that states could nullify any federal laws they deemed unconstitutional.
5. Paternalism: Some whites defended slavery on paternalistic grounds, arguing that slave owners acted as benevolent guardians, providing African Americans with food, shelter, and protection in exchange for their labor.