ss+icsrt15

Usually popular novels and films often show the south before 1860 it shows the plantations and farms with handfuls of slaves and big mansions. But most people couldn't afford for slaves. Most white southerners fall into 4 categories yeomen, tenant farmers, the rural poor, and plantation owners
 * small farms**

For people that did not have slaves the biggest group was the yeomen. Most yeomen owned land. A yeoman farm usually hold from 50-200 acres. Yeomen grew crops both fro there own use and to sell. They would often trade with merchants, locals, and workers for goods and services. Most southern whites did not live in elegant mansions or in large plantains. Many lived in cottages built of wood and plaster with thatched roofs. Many lived in one story houses and log cabins. Not all the farmers owned land some rented land, or worked as tenant farmers, on landlords' estates. The rural poor lived in crude cabins in wooded areas where they could clear a few trees, plant some corn, and keep a hog or a cow.
 * Small farmers and rural poor**

A large plantation could cover several thousand acres. The plantation owners lived in comfortable but not luxurious farm houses. They measured their wealth partly by the number of enslaved people they control and partially by possessions as homes, furnishing, and clothing.
 * Plantations**

The main economic for large plantation owners is profits. Such plantations had fixed costs regular expenses such as housing a feeding workers and maintaining the cotton gin and other equipment. Fixed cost remain about the same year after year. Cotton prices, however, varied from season to season, depending on the market.
 * Plantation owners**

Enslaved African American endured hardship and misery. They worked hard, earned no money, and had little hope of freedom. One of the worst fears was being sold and separated from their loved ones. In the face of these brutal conditions, enslaved African American maintaining their family life the best they could. They resisted slavery through verity of ingenious methods of maintaining their family life the best they could.
 * Life under slavery**

For many enslaved African Americans, Christianity became a religion of hope and resistance. They prayed fervently for the day they would be free from bondage. The passionate beliefs of the southern slaves found expression in the spiritual, an African American religious folk song.
 * African American Christianity**

Although the south was primarily agricultural, it was the site of several large cities by the mid-1800. By the 1860s the population of Baltimore had reached 212,000 and the population of New Orleans had reached 168,000. The 10 largest cities in the south were either sea ports or river ports. With the coming of the railroads, many other cities began to grow as centers of trade.
 * City life and education**

Plantation owners and those who could afford to do so often sent their children to private schools. One of the best known way the academy operated by Moses Waddel. Students attended school 6 days a week. The bible and classical litterateur were stressed, but the courses also include mathematics, religion, Greek, Latin, and public speaking. During this era no state wide public school system existed. However cities such as Louisville, charalston and mobile did establish excellent public schools.
 * Education**