What role did slavery play in the southern plantation economy how was it regulated?

Slave labor was an important part of the economy of the American South prior to the Civil War; this practice allowed slave owners to control and farm vast amounts of land that otherwise would not have been financially possible. As a result, landowners in the South were able to acquire wealth that non-landowners and smaller farmers were not able to access.

There was relatively little regulation of slavery outside of laws regarding the treatment of escaped or rebellious slaves. In general, these laws treated the slaves as property to be returned to their owners if caught or punished severely if found to be fomenting problems.