Feb 11, 2011: Map of US slavery

Undertoad · 02-11-2011, 07:47 AM

Shown here is the percentage of the population that were slaves in the 1860 census. The darkest (!) counties shown are above 80% slaves.

It's even more impressive shown here as a huge image that you can zoom around on.

glatt · 02-11-2011, 08:00 AM

Interesting how slavery follows the Mississippi river and is centered around the cities in a lot of places. I suppose only the wealthy could afford to own slaves, and the wealth was near the cities.

I always thought of slavery as being centered around rural agriculture, but this map shows that was not necessarily always the case.

darkwing duck · 02-11-2011, 08:07 AM

Land in the Mississippi Delta was cheap (Gov't wanted people to settle there after it had been purchased from the French) and proved to be incredibly fertile. They needed a lot of labor to clear the land and make it profitable.

Shawnee123 · 02-11-2011, 08:17 AM

Interesting that by 1850 it is estimated that 100,000 slaves (cite) had escaped via the Underground Railroad. My town was a noted stop...I know of one house in town that people say was a stop.

Old maps are so cool. I look at my parent's old globe and everything has changed. There isn't a huge area called U.S.S.R. anymore, for instance.

UR map:

TheMercenary · 02-12-2011, 07:50 AM

Thanks for the link UT! Very interesting.

hampor · 02-18-2011, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt

Interesting how slavery follows the Mississippi river and is centered around the cities in a lot of places. I suppose only the wealthy could afford to own slaves, and the wealth was near the cities....

Looking at the big map, I'm not sure that I would agree about the city part. In Orleans parish Louisiana, where New Orleans is located, the rate is much lower compared to further upstream. Likewise Baton Rouge, Vicksburg, Memphis, and Washington are lower rates that the counties around them. Atlanta is kind of neutral, and Talahasee is the only city I see with a high rate.

Along the river is flat land that is usually good for farming. With ready transportation by barge it would be ideal commercial farming of rice and cotton.

Griff · 02-18-2011, 04:58 PM

I was thinking the same thing hampor.

02-11-2011, 07:47 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Feb 11, 2011: Map of US slavery Shown here is the percentage of the population that were slaves in the 1860 census. The darkest (!) counties shown are above 80% slaves. It's even more impressive shown here as a huge image that you can zoom around on.

02-11-2011, 08:17 AM	#4
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Interesting that by 1850 it is estimated that 100,000 slaves (cite) had escaped via the Underground Railroad. My town was a noted stop...I know of one house in town that people say was a stop. Old maps are so cool. I look at my parent's old globe and everything has changed. There isn't a huge area called U.S.S.R. anymore, for instance. UR map: Attached Images Last edited by Shawnee123; 02-11-2011 at 08:20 AM. Reason: pic huge

02-12-2011, 07:50 AM	#5
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Thanks for the link UT! Very interesting. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

02-18-2011, 04:58 PM	#7
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	I was thinking the same thing hampor. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

02-11-2011, 08:00 AM	#2
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Interesting how slavery follows the Mississippi river and is centered around the cities in a lot of places. I suppose only the wealthy could afford to own slaves, and the wealth was near the cities. I always thought of slavery as being centered around rural agriculture, but this map shows that was not necessarily always the case.

02-11-2011, 08:07 AM	#3
darkwing duck Dog O'Nine Tails Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 20	Land in the Mississippi Delta was cheap (Gov't wanted people to settle there after it had been purchased from the French) and proved to be incredibly fertile. They needed a lot of labor to clear the land and make it profitable.

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