John C. Calhoun, speech in the U.S. Senate, 1837:
"I hold that in the present state of civilization, where two races of different origin, and distinguished by color, and other physical differences, as well as intellectual, are brought together, the relation now existing in the slaveholding States between the two, is, instead of an evil, a good—a positive good."
Which of the following arguments used by Southern defenders of slavery in the antebellum era is most directly reflected in Calhoun's speech?
- AThe claim that enslaved laborers were equivalent to colonial indentured servants who would eventually earn their freedom
- BThe argument that the Market Revolution was rapidly transitioning the Southern economy from agriculture to factory manufacturing
- The belief that slavery was a "positive good" that benefited both enslaved people and Southern societyAnswer
- DThe assertion that the defense of Southern society was based on resisting industrial tariffs rather than maintaining the institution of slavery
Answer
The belief that slavery was a "positive good" that benefited both enslaved people and Southern society
The correct option is correct because John C. Calhoun's speech represents the shift in Southern ideology from viewing slavery as a "necessary evil" to defending it as a "positive good." This argument claimed that the institution created a stable society, civilizing and protecting enslaved individuals while allowing white Southern culture to flourish.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The ideological defense of slavery in the antebellum South