StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

An Empire for Slavery by Campbell - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
From the paper "An Empire for Slavery by Campbell" it is clear that the book makes a compelling and obvious exploration of this theme. First, Campbell provides a chronological narrative of the development and escalation of slavery from the colonial period in Texas up to the Civil War outbreak…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER92.4% of users find it useful
An Empire for Slavery by Campbell
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "An Empire for Slavery by Campbell"

An Empire for Slavery Overview According to Randolph B. Campbell, “there has never been a general study of slavery in Texas” (4), and this book serves as filler to that gap in historical literature. “The Peculiar Institution influenced and shaped virtually every aspect of life in the Lone Star state” (Campbell p.209) and the author demonstrates that slavery was a significant element in the history of Texas, in contrast to the “widespread popular misconception” (Campbell p.1). The book makes a compelling and obvious exploration of this theme. First, Campbell provides a chronological narrative of the development and escalation of slavery from the colonial period in Texas up to the Civil War outbreak. In the first three chapters of the book, he discusses how the American settlers viewed slavery as a “practical necessity” (p.33) despite the opposition of the Mexican authorities. In these chapters, Campbell shows how slaves arrived in Texas, whose population increased from around 5,000 to over 160,000, thereby composing over 30 percent of the region’s population by 1860. In the other parts of the book, Campbell provides a survey examining the standpoints of the slave owners, and the economic conditions, life, and culture of the slaves. Through this, Campbell demonstrates his grasp and understanding of a wide array of sources, and utilizes 181 slave narratives from the Federal Writers Project interviews, which he uses in a quantitative analysis. There are several extensive studies on the thirteen out of the fifteen states that allowed slavery during that era. Texas is one of the two states that lack relevant research on this topic. Campbell sees this issue and decides to resolve it by producing this empirical work that uses both quantitative and qualitative research methods to that explains five fundamental topics: 1) the development and escalation of slavery; 2) the psychological and physical conditions of slavery; 3) impact of slavery to slave owners either individually or collectively; 4) legal and economic functions of slavery; and, 5) effect of Civil War to slavery. Campbell presents a few statements regarding the uniqueness of the conditions of slavery in Texas. For one, since Texas was originally within Mexico’s jurisdiction, and since Mexico is opposed to slavery, this situation created a group of black people who were considered bondsmen for a year less than a century. These blacks were neither slaves nor free people. Similarly, freed slaves who remained in Texas were viewed as neither citizens nor property. However, chapter 4 of the book suggests that the slavery economics in Texas is similar to those in the other southern states. Campbell explores this concept as well in other chapters as he tackles the slaves’ work conditions in chapter 6, and treatment and material situation in chapter 7. This book leans toward portraying that despite a few distinctions, the conditions of slavery in Texas do not differ from the other states, making it a good source of information about history, but not too much on slavery. Evaluation of Sources The book showcases 15 tables, 9 maps, and 4 appendices that provide vital data mostly on the geographic growth and economic nature of slavery. It also contains a massive bibliography regarding slavery in Texas. It is striking how the author utilizes a wide array of sources to complete the book. He uses the qualitative research method to present sources gathered from court and plantation records, contemporary newspapers, census, diaries, and letters. These sources provide insights on the concepts of protecting the society from slaves and protecting the slavery institution. He also uses the quantitative research approach to present sources gathered from narratives of former slaves, probate inventories, tax records, and government consensus. The narratives consist of 181 stories told by former slaves that depicts their feelings and views on the “peculiar institution.” He took the common data among the narratives and turned them into numbers for a quantitative analysis. For example, of the 181 narratives of former slaves, a small percentage, about 5, commented that food supply was inadequate, while more than half, around 58 percent commented on having adequate and good-quality food. Yet, the book could have made a more careful analysis of the results particularly of the quantitative research. 181 narratives of former slaves cannot really be considered an adequate representation of all the slaves in the antebellum era. Additionally, the narratives are from the 1930s, which makes the sources of these narratives very young in 1860. Still, one cannot say that this research is ineffective or unimportant. However, a strong statement saying “Texas slaves generally had a diet that was adequate to provide the energy to work..” (p.137) just because more than half of the stories from these former, apparently very young, slaves show satisfaction in food supply appears to be a not so cautious interpretation of the data. Analytical Discourse The book is much more than an exploration of the events of slavery, for Campbell argues here that the “clash of Anglo-American and Hispanic cultural traditions that culminated in the Texas Revolution” (p.252) is due to slavery. Along with these, he also presents a lengthy investigative research on controversial topics like the prominent social, political, and economical status of the slave owners during that period. Furthermore, he discussed the emotional and mental stresses caused by bondage, the civil liberties and constitutional rights of bondsmen, the conditions of labor on plantations and farms, the slave-code system, and the western plains as hindrance to further spread out. Due to all these vital information, despite the issues posed by the analysis of the quantitative research, the book is a source of vast historical information for those who want to understand and are interested in the “peculiar institution” and antebellum Texas. With the clarity, structure, and documentation of the facts and arguments presented, “An Empire for Slavery” is a major contribution toward a better perception and appreciation of the history of Texas. Also, the author’s major conclusions are similar to the conclusions of other slavery researchers and scholars. Slavery in Texas resulted in a thriving agricultural economy that is highly lucrative for the slave owners. Mostly neither sambos nor rebels, slaves then “endure on the best terms possible consistent with their own dignity and self-respect” (p.177). Additionally, the slave owners did not display uncertainty nor guilt in considering these humans as properties, and they were dedicated to the “peculiar institution”. Furthermore, the political atmosphere in Texas was highly dominated by the concept of slavery, just like how it was in the other states that permitted this kind of social order. However, on a personal note, the author seems to be all for proving that slavery in Texas is similar to other Southern states. In the entirety of the book, he mentions only two solid distinctions of the slavery in Texas: “had no laws intended to prevent slave literacy (p.175)” and “the Peculiar Institution remained less disturbed in Texas than in any other Confederate state (p. 231).” Because of this, the author declares that “"Slavery in Texas did not differ in any fundamental way from the institution as it existed elsewhere in the United States” (p. 257). Although this conclusion presents a comforting insight that is in harmony with other accepted notions of historians about slavery’s nature, it still raises a perplexing issue. Recent studies show that slavery is an institution that is factored by several different conditions --- for instance, the geographic location --- that shape its distinction. For example, slavery in a low country South Carolina rice farm or a Mississippi cotton plantation most probably have very distinct features compared to slavery in a Virginia tobacco estate. This is a very probable and logical argument that poses the question then regarding the similarity of the conditions of slavery across the Southern region. A conclusion that generalizes slavery in Texas as similar to the general concept of slavery elsewhere decreases the book’s value in terms of the study of slavery. This is tantamount to saying that there is nothing new about slavery that can be learned anymore, and that it is just now worth looking into because it is a large part of the history. For this reason, it can be said that the book, yes, is a source of useful information, not on slavery per se, but on its role in the history of Texas. Conclusion One could hope that the author could have been less reserved and curt in writing the book. But in all fairness, one should keep in mind that the book is the first ever published in-depth research on the slavery in Texas. This alone understandably calls for Campbell to utilize a basic method, instead of a more complex one that is normally needed in such studies. He says the he goes “to describe and interpret the Peculiar Institution in Texas without the aid of any particular theoretical model” (p. 9). Therefore, the book resolves the issue of the lack of study about slavery in Texas, but it does not present new insights about slavery and new theories that can be used for the investigation and evaluation of the previous ideas presented by the other scholars of slavery. Works Cited Campbell, Randolph B. An Empire for Slavery: The Peculiar Institution in Texas, 1821 - 1865. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State Univ. Press, 2001. Print. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Book Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1419865-book-review
(Book Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words)
https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1419865-book-review.
“Book Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1419865-book-review.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF An Empire for Slavery by Campbell

The Thirteenth Amendment: The abolition of Slavery

The Thirteenth Amendment: The abolition of slavery.... Union Success in the Civil War and the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment made slavery illegal in United States.... The Amendment stipulated that "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude…shall exist within the United states…" (Amendment XIII Sec.... But numerous people doubted that an amendment merely outlawing slavery could support such a law (Zuczek 21)....
12 Pages (3000 words) Essay

Abdurrahman Zeitoun and The Hero with a Thousand Faces

The actions and adventures of a real life personality, Abdulrahman Zeitoun are assessed on the basis of the criteria mentioned by campbell.... Joseph campbell in his work The Hero with a Thousand Faces has described the journey of a Hero and the different stages through which the Hero has to walk through to emerge victorious in spite of all hurdles.... Abdurrahman Zeitoun and The Hero with a Thousand Faces Joseph campbell in his work The Hero with a Thousand Faces has described the journey of a Hero and the different stages through which the Hero has to walk through to emerge victorious in spite of all hurdles....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Joseph Campbell's many archetypal images

When analyzing hero stories which at first appeared in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, the Power of Myth and the Masks of God, campbell makes the conclusion that the womb and the tomb, the snake and the circle are archetypes.... These rites of passage are not necessarily occurring as one-time ritualistic observation, but as passages of trials and tribulations When analyzing hero stories which at first appeared in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, the Power of Myth and the Masks of God, campbell makes the conclusion that the womb and the tomb, the snake and the circle are archetypes....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

An Empire for Slavery

campbell's book illustrates in fact how profitable slavery actually was in some aspects for those that owned slaves in Texas; however, campbell also takes a look at how slavery hindered the overall growth of Texas as it slowed the expansion of both industry and commerce.... Another important aspect of campbell's look at slavery in Texas is how the legal system supported slavery.... Let us first discuss how profitable slavery was in Texas during the early to mid 1800's....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

The Theory of Imperialism Overpopulation or Political Instability

Apart from slavery, which is considered as the height of all oppressions, the ill effects of imperialism can also be understood through an in-depth study of British Raj in India.... The term 'empire' basically denotes those nations, which have or had many of the countries or territories under its control.... The history of the British empire builds up as it establishes a relationship with Ireland, America, the Caribbean Islands, and India.... The 'credit' of setting up of slave trade also goes to the British empire of West Indies (the Caribbean) and Africa....
4 Pages (1000 words) Research Paper

Slavery in America - Thomas Jefferson and Frederick Douglass

The paper "slavery in America - Thomas Jefferson and Frederick Douglass" states that Jefferson's attitude is very conflicting.... This makes his position on freedom and slavery rather difficult to accept as sincere.... As the issue of slavery became increasingly debated, it sharply divided those who supported it from those who strongly opposed it as morally wrong.... Both supporters and opponents of slavery felt very strongly about this established practice and a large volume of writing exists discussing both points of view....
12 Pages (3000 words) Essay

Resistance to Slavery at Antebellum Plantation

Instead of ultimately trying to avoid the new ascendancy of slavery by Hammond's men, the slaves resorted to turning to fire-raising and flight (Drew E.... Deception is another significant tool that the slaves at the antebellum employed as resistance to slavery by their masters.... The paper "Resistance to slavery at Antebellum Plantation" analyzes slaves' life in the antebellum plantation, owned by Hammond....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Slavery During a Period When it Became the Best Business in the World

The radical change of division between the abolishment of the slave trade and the continuous support of slavery by those who deemed it important resulted in Civil Wars.... The paper describes the common among the people in the past, African-Americans or Native Africans were the favorite slaves bought by wealthy Caucasians....
10 Pages (2500 words) Research Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us