Social Class In The Antebellum Era

Although segregation and uniformity dominated the societal values of the South during the antebellum era, one of the defining characteristics which surfaced during this time period for the predominately white society is that of diversity. Due to a variety of factors including a wide economic divide, mixed political views, and differing attitudes toward the controversial issue of slavery, the class system of the white South could be divided into four social groups. These social groups consisted of the planters, small slaveholders, yeoman, and the people of the pine barrens. The standard of living between these four groups varied wildly, and the core values that each of these classes held reflected the diverse abyss which shaped the white social structure. The richest and most financially abundant social class in the Old South was that of the planters. A planter was considered to be someone who owned at least twenty slaves, who were enslaved on the planter’s plantation in order to perform variety of roles. Since the planters consisted of the economic elite of antebellum society, a large emphasis was placed on maintaining and advancing the financial status quo. Slaves played a major role in determining the degree of wealth that a planter possessed, and as a result, most planters vehemently opposed the notion of antislavery
and any political belief which questioned their way of life. According to a northern journalist surveying the South, “men worth millions of dollars lived as if they were not worth hundreds” (Boyer et. al, pg. 349). The majority of slave owners belonged to the small slaveholders social group, which consisted of those who possessed less than 20 slaves.
The economic goals of a small slaveholder tended to vary depending on the slaveholder's location and environment. Although small slaveholders in the upland territories tended to be content with their smaller status, small slaveholders in the lower regions of the country tended to be more ambitious towards pursuing a greater economic status, such as that of a planter. Small slaveholders were dependent on the production of their slaves, and felt justified in the usage of slavery in order to turn a
profit. The largest of all of the white social groups was the yeoman, who consisted of farmers that did not own slaves. Unlike the planters and other slave owners, who lived consumed with the desire for increased wealth, many yeoman simply desired to be independent and financially self reliant. Although the yeoman did not own slaves, they did sometimes hire slaves to assist in the production of the fields. The people of the pine barrens lived a secluded life in the pine barrens with a lifestyle that greatly differed from any of the other social groups. The people of the pine barrens made no attempt to generate wealth, and often appeared lazy to the outside world due to their simple lifestyle and crude possessions. Independence and freedom were two of the main core values which dominated the pine barren culture, and the issue of slavery was simply nonexistent for these basic people.