Antebellum

By Deane Barker • • tags: history, military, definition •

Definition: the period before a war, as opposed to after it; the period before the American Civil War

This literally means “before war” in Latin. It’s most often used to discuss the period of Southern life prior to the American Civil War.

Less known is the antonym “postbellum,” which means the period after a war.

Why I Looked It Up

I saw a reference to “postbellum,” and that got me wondering what “antebellum” actually meant. I vaguely knew it somehow referred to the southern states in the 1800s, but wasn’t sure why.

Links to this – House Negro March 8, 2024
A slave in the antebellum South could be a “field negro” or a “house negro.” The former worked as a laborer in the fields, the latter worked as a servant in the house, and usually had an easier workload and better working conditions. However, to work in the house, a slave had to be compliant and...