Southern Antebellum Culture

Southern Antebellum culture refers to the social, economic, and cultural practices of the Southern United States before the Civil War (early 19th century). It centered around plantation life, heavily dependent on enslaved labor to grow crops like cotton and tobacco. Society was hierarchical, valuing tradition, hospitality, and a code of gentility among the white elite. Religion and family were important, and slavery deeply influenced social relations and economic prosperity. While it celebrated certain cultural arts and manners, it also upheld racial inequalities that contributed to ongoing tensions leading up to the Civil War.