Social Structure

Wealthy Plantation

Small to Medium Farms

Poor Farmers

​African Americans (Free/Slave)

Men in Southern States

• Large Planters -- "We are the managers."

  • owned more than 50 slaves

  • controlled most social/political power

• Planters -- "Don't forget about us."

  • owned 20 - 49 slaves

  • had some political control and wealth

Men in the Southern States

• Small Slaveholders -- "We may not be powerful, but we farm too."

  • owned fewer than 20 slaves

  • 1 out of every 5 man in the south fit here

• Nonslaveholding -- "We are many."

  • Barely made enough food

  • No slaves, but looked down on slaves

The Dream of Many Southern Men......

• Own Land

• Produce Cotton

• Have Slaves

What would southern people gain from having these items (land, cotton, slaves)?

Southern Women

• On the outside ..... care for home and family, host parties, graceful, follow husband

• On the inside .... trauma in childbirth, loss of children, married early, died early, lonely

​How was the life of a southern woman in the 1800's different from a woman in the present day?

African Americans in the Southern States

• Most African Americans were slaves

• Those that were free lived in the 'northern' part of the southern region

• Most slaves lived on plantations or medium sized farms

​Why would most free African Americans live in the northern section of the south?