The majority of white men in the antebellum South were?

The majority of white men in the antebellum South were small-scale farmers or laborers rather than wealthy plantation owners. They often aspired to own slaves, viewing them as a means to achieve economic success and social status, even if they did not personally own any. Many supported the institution of slavery as integral to the Southern economy and their own social standing, despite their varying economic circumstances. This group largely upheld and defended the cultural and political structures that sustained slavery in the region.