Overwhelming evidence against the historical view of slavery as a benevolent "peculiar institution" Posting what he called "a most deadly array of facts," Frederic Bancroft exploded deeply entrenched myths about antebellum slavery when Slave Trading in the Old South was first published in 1931. As fresh and informative today as it was then, the classic study returns to print, giving a new generation of historians, students, and history enthusiasts access to Bancroft's pioneering examination of the domestic slave trade. Drawing largely on research that could not be duplicated today—correspondence with individuals involved in the slave trade and interviews with former slaves—Bancroft exposed the commercial aspects of the enterprise, including the "breeding" and "rearing" of slaves for future sale to western states and territories, the separation of slave families, and the profitability of the practice. By showing that the slave trade so thoroughly dominated the South, Bancroft demonstrated antebellum slavery to be an essentially commercial, exploitative, and cruel industry rather than, as many historians have claimed, a benevolent "peculiar institution" in which the selling of slaves was a relatively rare exchange between neighbors. He also discredited the notion that slave traders were social outcasts, finding instead that they came from even the highest ranks of Southern society. Michael Tadman's new introduction offers a comprehensive, thoughtful analysis of the evolving historical literature on the subject, reminding readers of the devastating effects the slave trade had both on Southern society as a whole and on its principal victims.
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This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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