While slavery existed throughout American history, there was a period known as the "Antebellum South" or the "Old South," which generally refers to the decades leading up to the American Civil War (1861-1865), that saw the intensification and expansion of slavery in the Southern United States.
During this time, which roughly spanned the mid-18th century to the mid-19th century, slavery was at its peak and widely practiced in the cotton-producing states of the South. The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 led to a significant expansion of cotton cultivation, which in turn drove the demand for enslaved labor.
Large-scale plantations in the South relied heavily on enslaved African Americans to work in these agricultural fields. The forced labor of enslaved people played a crucial role in sustaining the Southern economy and its wealth.
It's important to note that the peak of slavery varied depending on the region. In some areas, like the Deep South, slavery was more extensive, while in other parts of the country, it was less prevalent or had already been abolished.