Final answer:
A common misperception about slavery in the antebellum South was the idea of paternalism, which claimed that white slaveholders acted in the best interests of the enslaved people. However, this misrepresented the reality of slavery.
Step-by-step explanation:
A common misperception about slavery in the antebellum South was the idea of paternalism, which claimed that white slaveholders acted in the best interests of the enslaved people by taking care of them and providing for their needs. However, this misrepresented the reality of slavery, which was a dehumanizing and traumatic experience.
Despite their conditions, enslaved people actively resisted their bondage and created their own communities and cultures.