Who were the majority of southern farmers?

The majority of southern farmers during the 19th century were small landowners and tenant farmers, many of whom relied on subsistence farming to support their families. While some owned slaves and operated larger plantations, the vast majority worked smaller plots of land and faced economic challenges. Additionally, many were sharecroppers, particularly after the Civil War, who farmed land owned by others in exchange for a share of the crop. This system often perpetuated cycles of poverty and debt.