In what way was the South a paternalistic society during the days of slavery? White men followed pursuits such as horseback riding, while white women followed “ladylike” pursuits such as sewing.
By using slave labor, plantation owners freed their own children from having to work in the farm fields.
Slaveholders believed they helped enslaved people by providing food, shelter, and clothing while relieving them of responsibility.
White Southerners who did not have enslaved workers found they were often treated like children by those who did.