The Old South

The Old South is a collection of primary documents and previously published essays introducing students to recent themes found in scholarship on the social and cultural history of the Old South. This collection of primary documents and previously published essays introduces students to the principal themes in recent scholarship on the social and cultural history of the Old South. The twelve essays cover a variety of topics including the relative modernity of the Old South, the proslavery defense of servitude, gender relations, southern honor and violence, the slave trade, the slaves' economy and community, and the histories of southern women - both black and white. The documents - including court cases, personal letters, diaries, travel accounts, newspaper stories, advertisements, and slave narratives - have been drawn directly from the essay sources in order to illustrate how historians construct arguments. Smith provides a detailed main introduction to the collection to help students situate the readings and documents within the larger context of the antebellum South. In addition, there are brief introductions to each document and essay, study questions, suggestions for further reading, a map, and a chronology of significant events. The Old South is a collection of primary documents and previously published essays introducing students to recent themes found in scholarship on the social and cultural history of the Old South. The documents are drawn directly from the essays not only to vividly illustrate the events, but also to show students how historians construct arguments based on archival evidence. Smith introduces the collection with a detailed essay, and provides study questions, suggestions for further reading, a map, and a chronology of significant events creating a highly useful student-friendly reader.