Most Texas historians neglect the significance of slavery in that state because the institution did not last for a long time (Randolph B. Campbell, 1989). But still slavery played a very significant role in creating the history of Texas and influenced greatly on Texans’ social life and economic growth of the state during the early 19th century.
Texas’ economics boosted due to the slaves' contributions. In this state slaves were a kind of business investment for slaveholders. Black people produced sugar on the Brazos River and cotton for profit. Also, they cultivated the foodstuffs that were necessary for their self-sufficiency (Randolph B. Campbell, 2010). Undoubtedly, slavery contributed to the development of the agricultural economy. Just during the 1850s, the cotton production increased to 600 percent (Randolph B. Campbell, 2010). Being established as the economic institution, slavery was also a significant social institution. The wealthy planters who had a lot of slaves became the social ideal for most Texans. But at the same time, slavery was the main hinder for economic modernization in this state (Randolph B. Campbell, 2010). The thing is that most planters were satisfied with their income and were not eager to develop industry and be occupied with commerce.
Texas’ slave history has some peculiarities though it does not significantly differ from the history of slavery in other South states. Besides the United States, Mexico, and Spain were involved in this issue. So, the enslaved people worked in the communities that had a presence of Native Americans, Anglo-Americans, the Mexican, and Spanish people (Daina Ramey Berry, 2014). Their relationships created a unique Texas’ slave history. There were always anti-slavery and pro-slavery activists in Texas who struggled for labor practices, land acquisition and race relations (Daina Ramey Berry, 2014). For instance, Tejanos (Mexicans, who lived in Texas) encouraged a lot of slaves to look for a refuge in Indian Territories and Mexico. They also flurried Texas with their insistence that black slaves would rise up against their white slaveholders (Randolph B. Campbell, 1989).
Though no significant rebellions occurred, still several individual acts of violence against white masters occurred (Randolph B. Campbell, 2010).
Some historians suggest that slavery did not play an important role in Texas as at the time of revolution in 1836 there were nearly 5,000 slaves in Texas, but when the state was annexed to the U.S.A., the number of black people grew to 30,000 (Daina Ramey Berry, 2014). Still in 1860, there were just 5 percent of the overall slave population while Virginia had 12 percent and Louisiana had 8 percent of slave population (Randolph B. Campbell, 1989). But during the Civil War, the number of slaves grew rapidly as a lot of planters who lived in the South states immigrated to Texas and took their slaves with them because they were afraid that the federal troops would confiscate them (Randolph B. Campbell, 1989). Texas did not suffer much during the conflict and this left the slaves and the slaveholders less disturbed than their southern compatriots (Randolph B. Campbell, 1989). The thing is that no big slaveholding area was invaded during the Civil war. And even after the war ended, Texas slaves continued working as they did before the war. Actually, Texas was the last island of slavery in the U.S.A. Only on June 19, 1865, the slavery ended in Texas, when Major General Gordon Granger came to Galveston with federal forces and announced the cancelation of slavery (Randolph B. Campbell, 2010).
Some historians, for example, Campbell, state that Texans treated their slaves better than southern slaveholders. They armed and educated their slaves (Randolph B. Campbell, 1989). Most slave owners encouraged the love of black people for music and worship as they believed that it would teach them good behavior and right subjection (Randolph B. Campbell, 2010).
Some historians tend to idealize the slavery in Texas and the conditions black people lived in, but it should be admitted that the institution in Texas was less degrading and brutal.
Slavery in Texas was a very important issue as it formed the state and influenced on its economics greatly. Though Texas slavery has some peculiar features, it did not dramatically differ from the overall southern slavery as most slaveholders came to Texas from other southern states and continued living the life they got used to.
Works Cited List
Berry, D.R. “In Texas, history of slavery unique — but not 'brief’’. mysanantonio.com. 2014. Web. Accessed 04 Februrary 2015 at http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/In-Texas-history-of-slavery-unique-but-not-5879057.php
Campbell R. B. “SLAVERY.” Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/yps01). 2010. Web. Accessed 04 Februrary 2015 at https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/yps01
Campbell R. B. “An Empire for Slavery: The Peculiar Institution in Texas, 1821-1865”.
1989. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. Web. Accessed 04 Februrary 2015 at http://personal.tcu.edu/swoodworth/Campbell.htm
