- Economic prosperity: Southerners argued that slavery was essential to the South's economy, as it provided cheap labor for agriculture, the region's primary industry. They believed that without slavery, the Southern economy would collapse, leading to widespread poverty and social unrest.
- Paternalism: Southerners often portrayed slavery as a benevolent institution, arguing that it provided African Americans with food, shelter, and protection. They claimed that slaves were better off under the care of their white masters than they would be if they were free.
Racist Arguments
- Racial inferiority: Southerners frequently asserted that African Americans were innately inferior to whites and therefore unfit for freedom or equality. They argued that slavery was necessary to keep African Americans in their "proper place."
- Fear of Black Revolt: Southerners expressed fears that if enslaved people were freed, they would rebel and take revenge against their former masters. They pointed to the Haitian Revolution as an example of the potential dangers of slave uprisings.
Biblical Arguments
- Biblical justifications: Some Southerners used religious arguments to defend slavery, citing passages from the Bible that seemed to support the institution of slavery. They argued that slavery was ordained by God and that it was the duty of Christians to uphold it.
Constitutional Arguments
- States' rights: Southerners argued that the federal government did not have the authority to interfere with slavery, as it was a matter of state's rights. They claimed that the institution of slavery was protected by the Constitution and that any attempt to abolish it would be a violation of states' sovereignty.