Southern society refers to the social structure and way of life in the southern states during pre-Civil War America. It was characterized by a strong agrarian economy, strict racial hierarchies, and reliance on slave labor.
Related terms
Antebellum South: This term describes the period before the Civil War when slavery was legal in much of the southern United States.
Paternalism: Paternalism was a belief held by many white southerners that they had a duty to care for enslaved people as if they were children, but this attitude perpetuated racial inequality and control.
Slave Codes: Slave codes were laws enacted in the southern states that restricted the rights and freedoms of enslaved people, further entrenching their subjugation.