Only 14% of white southern families owned slaves, with a complex social structure rooted in white supremacy.
The statement that describes southern society before the Civil War is:
Contrary to common belief, by 1860, only 14% of white southern families owned slaves, with varying numbers of slaves owned by these families. The southern society was structured around white supremacy, with a wealthy white ruling class and poor white farmers, along with enslaved or free African Americans facing significant challenges.
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