The antebellum South was a period of time in the United States leading up to the Civil War. It was characterized by a strong agricultural economy based on large plantations, a rigidly hierarchical social structure, and a growing demand for the expansion of slavery into new territories.
The main idea of the antebellum South was to preserve the institution of slavery and the agrarian economy that depended on it. Slavery was seen as essential to the economic prosperity of the South, and many southerners believed that it was a divinely ordained institution that should not be interfered with.
The southern states also sought to protect their political power within the federal government, fearing that the increasing power of the northern states would lead to the abolition of slavery and the end of their way of life. This led to a growing tension between the North and South, eventually culminating in the Civil War.