1. Colonial Legacy: Slavery existed in the American colonies even before the United States was formed. It was introduced by European settlers who brought enslaved African individuals from various parts of Africa to serve as labor in agriculture, plantation work, and other industries.
2. Economic Interests: The Southern states, which formed the Confederacy during the Civil War, had an economy heavily dependent on cash crops such as cotton, tobacco, and sugarcane. These crops required labor-intensive production, and slave labor was viewed as economically advantageous to plantation owners who sought profits.
3. Racial Attitudes: The prevalence of racist ideas and prejudices fostered the belief that African individuals were inferior to white individuals. Societal views on race made it easier for enslaved people to be considered property rather than as full human beings with rights.
4. Political Power: In the early United States, slaveholding states had outsized political power and representation both in Congress and in the Electoral College. Southern dominance led to policies and constitutional compromises that protected the institution of slavery, such as the infamous Three-Fifths Compromise in the Constitution.
5. Supreme Court Decision: The infamous 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford Supreme Court ruling declared that enslaved African Americans were not U.S. citizens and could not sue in federal court. It weakened anti-slavery arguments and further strengthened the position of defenders of slavery.
6. State Sovereignty: Supporters of slavery often invoked the concept of state sovereignty, arguing that individual states had the right to establish their laws and regulations, including the legalization of slavery, regardless of other state positions or national sentiments.
It's essential to recognize that permitting slavery and the ensuing racial injustices perpetuated in the United States were abhorrent violations of human rights. The nation grappled with slavery and the fight for its abolition, which culminated in the ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865, finally abolishing slavery throughout the country.