What ideas underpinned the usage of the term "peculiar institution"?
A) Northerners coined the term to emphasize the violence and discrimination inherent in slavery and lament its having become a formal institution.
B) Southerners used the term to refer to capitalism and to portray it as a bizarre system unique to the North and in which they themselves played no part.
C) Women activists of the time used the term to refer to the system of marriage and to convey that although it was a fundamental social structure, it was curious in its treatment of women.
D) The word "peculiar" implied that race-based slavery was unique to the South-a more positive sentiment that appealed to southern identity-and helped avoid the charged word "slavery."
E) Northerners used the term to paint urban slavery in a negative light because they believed it was odd that urban slaves faced worse conditions than slaves on farms.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The term "peculiar institution" was primarily used by Southerners to refer to race-based slavery in their region, and the use of the word "peculiar" helped to avoid the charged and negative connotations of the word "slavery." It also emphasized the uniqueness of slavery in the South and contributed to the development of southern identity.

What Ideas Underpinned the Usage of the Term "Peculiar Institution