Verified Document

Old South: Middle Florida's Plantation Frontier Before Term Paper

¶ … Old South: Middle Florida's Plantation Frontier before the Civil War" by Edward E. Baptist. 1. What is the big historical question; Summarize the main points of the questions or theories the author is trying to address in his/her work. 2. Where does the work fit in the existing historiography. 3. What evidence does the author use to make the case? 4. Briefly summarize the author's findings. 5. How well does he/she make the case? Is the result believable? Why or why not? 6. What (if anything) is wrong with the work? Are there major gaps or inconsistencies? Creating an Old South: Middle Florida's Plantation

Frontier before the Civil War"

In "Creating an Old South: Middle Florida's Plantation Frontier before the Civil War," Edward E. Baptist presents a historical account of the era of migration to Middle Florida during the early 1800's and its creation of the plantation boom. Baptist attempts this presentation by discussing the views and legalities of slavery, as well as, the white elite slave-owner's role of power verses the poorer non-slave-owning white population.

Baptist weaves a work of historical facts and accounts with entries from journals and diaries of some of the key regional figures of that era. By this,...

Baptist is careful to detail the findings of other authors, either singularly or as group or whole to illustrate the climate of the times, whether politically or culturally. He also cites or refers to other works to demonstrate the power of the word to incite, such as authors who wrote about Florida, describing it as a paradise of comfort and profit with endless possibilities, thus, creating a migration boom south. Although, some had pioneered south based on oral accounts, it was the written word that began the flood of plantation owners. Baptist uses such accounts thoughtfully throughout his book, often referring often to newspaper accounts and political speeches.
Baptist's research revealed a view of the Old South that few had until now seen. Baptist showed one of greed and self-interest, filled with conflict between white plantation owners and the common white farmers, the haves and the haves not. Florida at that time had a whole different set of rules, or rather no laws. Unlike states such as Missouri, Florida…

Sources used in this document:
Bibliography

Baptist, Edward E. Creating an Old South: Middle Florida's Plantation Frontier before the Civil War. University of North Carolina Press. 2002.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Florida History
Words: 1520 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

Florida History Florida was ruled by Spain for over 200 years. There was little to view by the 1750's. St. Augustine remained a small military town of two thousand soldiers and settlers. The most prosperous merchants were those who operated food services for the troops. On the Gulf side, Pensacola was barely more than a few wooden houses and a fort. The mission system was in ruins. (Florida's past: People and

Illegal Immigrants in the U.S.
Words: 2196 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

So who is an American and what an America can or cannot do are questions which are critical to the issue of legalizing immigrants. Does being an American mean you cannot show allegiance to any other country? The images of people raising and waving Mexican flag had enraged many but it need not have. It should be accepted that people who come from different countries would forever hold in their

Environmental Themes
Words: 5447 Length: 20 Document Type: Term Paper

Environmental Themes in Grapes of Wrath This essay reviews environmental themes from the following five books: Dust Bowl by Donald Worster, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, Everglades: River of Grass by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Killing Mr. Watson by Peter Matthiessen, and River of Lakes by Bill Belleville. This paper discusses the role that culture has played in environmental issues during the past century. Five sources used. MLA format. Environmental Themes Humans

Origins of the Thirteen Colonies
Words: 3081 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Paper

James II. had pursued it from a very different point-of-view when he consolidated the northern and middle colonies under Sir Edmund Andros (Appleby, 1984). The high-handed proceedings of Andros and his master rendered the Americans averse from any future plans of federation imposed from without, and the social and religious differences between the various regions long prevented the rise of any motion to union from within. All had their

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now