Masterless Men: Poor Whites and Slavery in the Antebellum South

The book "Masterless Men and Women" by Keri Leigh Merritt is a groundbreaking analysis of the intersection of land policy, labor, and legal history in the American South during the 1840s and 1850s.

The author reveals how the rising demand for cotton led to a drastic reduction in the need for white laborers, creating an underclass of poor whites who were unable to compete with profitable slave labor.

Despite not being subjected to the same violence and degradation as racial slaves, these "masterless" men and women suffered tangible socioeconomic consequences as a result of living in a slave society.

Through a detailed examination of how these individuals threatened the existing Southern hierarchy, Merritt sheds light on their role in pushing Southern slaveholders towards secession and civil war.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of slavery and its impact on American history.