Analyze why and how slavery became the centerpiece of Southern society and the “Cotton Kingdom.” How was slavery codified by white southerners in the decades after Bacon’s Rebellion? Most importantly, explain how slavery evolved from a “necessary evil” to a “positive good.” What economic changes ultimately entrenched slavery as the cornerstone of Southern society? Why did the vast majority of Southerners support slavery, even if they didn’t own slaves? Was slavery actually profitable for the South?
