ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Antebellum South

Okay kiddo, let's start with what "antebellum" means. It's a fancy word that means "before the war," and in this case, it's talking about the time in history before the Civil War in the United States.

The antebellum South refers specifically to the southern states in the US during this time period. Many people in the South owned enslaved people, which means they forced other people to work for them without pay. This was very common and legal at that time, but it was also very wrong.

The South was also very different from the North during this time. They had different beliefs about things like money, politics, and religion. They also had a different economy, which was mostly based on agriculture, like growing cotton or tobacco. People in the South were very proud of their way of life, but it also caused a lot of tension with the North.

Eventually, all of these differences led to the Civil War, which was fought between the North and the South. The North won, and slavery was made illegal. This was a very important moment in American history, as it helped to make America more united and just for everyone.