Which of the following arguments was most likely to have been used by southerners in the 1830s and 1840s to defend the institution of slavery?
A) It is true that slavery is an evil within human society, but for economic reasons it is presently a necessary evil.
B) Society is ordered in a particular way by the dictates of nature, and nature has ordained that blacks are born to be slaves.
C) All whites are born to be free and equal, but all non-whites are frowned on by God and were born to be slaves.
D) Human beings are equal in the sight of God only if they have accepted the tenets of Christianity; therefore, non-Christians may be enslaved.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This argument, commonly known as the "positive good" defense of slavery, held that slavery was not only necessary for the economy but also beneficial for the enslaved individuals themselves because they were believed to be inferior and in need of guidance from their white masters. It was used primarily in the South to counter abolitionist arguments that slavery was a moral evil.

Which of the Following Arguments Was Most Likely to Have