Final answer:
Slavery in the antebellum South had a far-reaching impact on its economy, politics, law, and social relations, defining a white supremacist society and economy reliant on forced labor, creating political power for a small elite, and entrenching a social order based on racial division.
Step-by-step explanation:
The impact of slavery in the South was profound, influencing its economy, politics, laws, and social relations. Economically, slavery was central to the South's wealth, particularly in the cotton industry, which relied on slave labor and generated vast wealth for plantation owners. Politically, the institution supported a small elite who wielded significant power both regionally and nationally, often leading to what was termed 'slave power' to describe their influence in political institutions.
Legally, slavery created a clear demarcation of racial hierarchy, underpinning laws that governed ownership and treatment of slaves and, after emancipation, subsequently supported black codes to maintain control over African Americans. Socially, slavery fostered a sense of unity among whites of different social classes, while simultaneously ensuring a permanent division between whites and blacks. The resulting class structure and racial dynamics had lasting effects, even beyond abolition, impeding social mobility for both slaves and poor whites and embedding a racial ideology that perpetuated inequality.