I'm helping a friend who is in highschool with an assignment and I'm trying to find good sources for his topic question. We're not from the US so I don't know any good or reputable sources to show to him.
The question is "Address the following hypothesis: That slavery was a well organised and highly legislated feature of the southern way of life prior to the civil war."
The few sources on American history I have personally read don't directly address the question. So if you could link me some relevant material that I could show to him that would be greatly appreciated.
I'm not trying to ask for direct help in him answering his question just some good sources that he can use.
In general yes it was. There were everything from laws stating how courts would judge crimes committed by and against whites on slaves. You can imagine which way it was slanted, though in most states murder was still illegal.
Hiring out slaves was also extremely common and a source of income for families. And there were state laws and even federal laws requiring assistance in the hunting of fugitives and runaways.
might consider looking here from the Library of Congress or this from PBS: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2956.html