The "Yeomanry"

1. First, the Numbers
   1. Share of Population--A Majority of Rural Whites
   2. Share of Wealth
      1. Disproportionately Small, BUT
      2. Broadly Distributed--Few Truly "Poor"
2. Way of Life--Centered on "Independence"
   1. Crop Mix--The "Safety First" Strategy
      1. Self-Sufficiency in Food
         1. Corn
         2. Open-Range Livestock
      2. Cotton as "Cash Crop"
         1. Taxes
         2. Land Purchases
         3. "Store-Bought" Goods
   2. Household Production of Manufactured Items
   3. Local Exchange and Mutual Aid
3. Relationship to Planter Regime
   1. To the Planters
      1. Within Plantation Zones--Deferential
      2. Between Plantation and Nonplantation Areas--"Live and Let Live"
   2. To the Slaves--Solidarity With Slaveholders in Support of White Supremacy