Like slavery itself, the idea of race and in particular miscegenation (the mixing of races) evolved over time and came to a political and social head in the 18th century American South. A major part of the colonization of the new world involved this very practice, which was condemned by so many proponents of not only slavery but racial discrimination. I dont think it is any mistake that as the outrage against miscegenation grew, so too did the white American cultures idea of racial superiority. In many respects, it seems that the major social atrocities of both slavery and later the pre-Civil Rights of African Americans were increasingly justified by race rather than economic or even cultural differences previously used to distinguish various parts of American society.
Given the later legal and social pariah surrounding miscegenation, I found it interesting that the growth of the South and the institution of slavery owes much to this practice. Even more interesting is the manner in which it was accepted in various parts of the American territories, while representing for others a departure from morality. As the reading notes, the Spanish, French and even English explorers were themselves quite often party to this same practice in the early days of settlement, when lacking in female companionship from their own countries they developed relationships with Native Americans. In addition, the later comparative status of white indentured servants and their black counterparts, indentured for life, led to much intermingling between those two races. Both of low status in the American colonies, Scottish and Irish women paired with African men.
It was only when slavery became transformed from human exploitation to specifically racial exploitation that the outcry against miscegenation became deafening. Though the Irish were themselves regarded as the lowliest of whites, they were still white. In order to justify the enslavement of Africans based on racial ideas from interpretations of Christianity, the whites of lower birth and status had to be elevated in one manner or another. Slavery cannot be justified by race if the very race that is attempting to enslave another also enslaves its own. That different states approached the matter in varying ways, depending on their own racial makeup and distance from the dominant ideals of the South, merely shows that attitudes on race were a product of individual societies.
By far the most interesting aspect of this reading is the fact of white slave-owners, who preached against the immorality of race mixing within general society, bred with their own slaves to create more slaves for themselves. This hypocrisy is perhaps one of the most disturbing of immoralities, as it became not only the norm but was promoted in this society. Even in those societies like New Orleans whose Quadroon Ball drew spectators from afar every year, there was a strict hierarchy involved in the mixing of the races. They themselves were products of a mixed race union and became party to more in their relationships with the rich whites. Admired by men, the beautiful pale skinned quadroons of New Orleans were debased in their role as objects just as field hands and house servants. They didnt have any security or real freedom but instead became playthings for rich men, just as their sisters in the fields became human brood mares.
The hypocrisy of a society which itself was discovered, founded, and built by the very mixing of races that was later abhorred (but still practiced) illustrates, I think, the basic immoralities and inconsistency of the 19th century slave system. Having made race their justification for continuing the enslavement of blacks, white society attempted to legally correct the discrepancies in society but failed to abide
Given the later legal and social pariah surrounding miscegenation, I found it interesting that the growth of the South and the institution of slavery owes much to this practice. Even more interesting is the manner in which it was accepted in various parts of the American territories, while representing for others a departure from morality. As the reading notes, the Spanish, French and even English explorers were themselves quite often party to this same practice in the early days of settlement, when lacking in female companionship from their own countries they developed relationships with Native Americans. In addition, the later comparative status of white indentured servants and their black counterparts, indentured for life, led to much intermingling between those two races. Both of low status in the American colonies, Scottish and Irish women paired with African men.
It was only when slavery became transformed from human exploitation to specifically racial exploitation that the outcry against miscegenation became deafening. Though the Irish were themselves regarded as the lowliest of whites, they were still white. In order to justify the enslavement of Africans based on racial ideas from interpretations of Christianity, the whites of lower birth and status had to be elevated in one manner or another. Slavery cannot be justified by race if the very race that is attempting to enslave another also enslaves its own. That different states approached the matter in varying ways, depending on their own racial makeup and distance from the dominant ideals of the South, merely shows that attitudes on race were a product of individual societies.
By far the most interesting aspect of this reading is the fact of white slave-owners, who preached against the immorality of race mixing within general society, bred with their own slaves to create more slaves for themselves. This hypocrisy is perhaps one of the most disturbing of immoralities, as it became not only the norm but was promoted in this society. Even in those societies like New Orleans whose Quadroon Ball drew spectators from afar every year, there was a strict hierarchy involved in the mixing of the races. They themselves were products of a mixed race union and became party to more in their relationships with the rich whites. Admired by men, the beautiful pale skinned quadroons of New Orleans were debased in their role as objects just as field hands and house servants. They didnt have any security or real freedom but instead became playthings for rich men, just as their sisters in the fields became human brood mares.
The hypocrisy of a society which itself was discovered, founded, and built by the very mixing of races that was later abhorred (but still practiced) illustrates, I think, the basic immoralities and inconsistency of the 19th century slave system. Having made race their justification for continuing the enslavement of blacks, white society attempted to legally correct the discrepancies in society but failed to abide
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