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The profitability of slavery is still hotly debated. Most agree that it was profitable to some extent--but the rate of profitability varies depending on who you ask (i.e. some claim a 5% return in slave investments, while some claim a 10-12% return). These differences are significant because 5% returns may not have been enough to justify slave investments if 8% was available elsewhere. But, to answer the question, the profitability of slavery in the south probably depended quite a bit on the potential for future capital gains. Slave women bore many children (at the urging of slaveholders), and these children were sold--either when young or after they had been raised to adulthood. Since the slave trade had been shut down in the early 1800's, this was the only source of new slaves for southern landowners--thus those that owned slaves to start with had an advantage and could "produce more capital" (to use a highly insensitive method of describing childbirth for slave women). I hope that helps.

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16y ago

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Who depended on slavery in the south?

plantation owners


What did the economy of the south depend on?

The Economy of the South depended on slavery.


What strengths did the North and South have in the US Civil War?

the south couldn make bullets and keep up like the south because they depended on slavery while the north depended on machinery


Why was south afraid of slavery being outlawed?

Because much of the souths economy depended on it.


How did the abolition of slavery divide the North and South of the United States?

The north had factories, and had a more urban lifestyle. The south, however, had a more agricultural lifestyle, and depended on slavery.


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Did Georgia have slavery in the 1700's?

Yes, Georgia did have slavery in the 1700's. In the 1700's, the south depended greatly upon farmland. The only way to farm quickly and get money, people would use slaves. The north was less depended and so didn't need as much slavery as the south did. Hope this helps!


What is a fact about Southern slavery?

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What was lincolns biggest concern when he thought about freeing the slaves?

About how the South would react to it since their economy depended on slavery.


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What can be defined as the profitability issue during the antebellum period?

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