For the last 14 weeks we have defined the American South. The South has endured many different challenges and hardships that make it unique to society. Roots of the American South in the colonial period; is clearly defined after 1825. The South was known for its system of forced labor – the institutions of slavery. The Mexican War opens up the question of the expansion of slavery. African Americans helped shape Southern culture with food and religion. The Industrial Revolution had created the need for raw cotton. Nations remain divided geographically and politically on issues related to slavery. In the movie Gone with the Wind, viewers get to see what the South was like after the Civil War and how naive the soldiers were before the war. Religion is a major factor in the South and was used by many as a form of power and control. of whites. Van Woodard believed that the South was unique because Southern history was a burden and a legacy. Southern states were known for their gossipy little towns. Women were also segregated. Many women in the South were classified as Southern Bells, women who ...