What characterizes middling planters in Georgia?

Middling planters in Georgia are characterized by owning between 5 to 10 slaves. This group represented a significant middle class of plantation owners during the antebellum period. They were more prosperous than small farmers who typically did not own slaves at all, yet they were not as wealthy or influential as large planters, who owned 20 or more slaves. This classification reflects the economic structure of the time, where owning several slaves allowed these planters to engage in more substantial agricultural production, particularly with crops like cotton. The ownership of this number of slaves placed them in a unique position in society, as they could benefit from the labor of enslaved individuals while still not being part of the elite class that controlled the majority of slaveholding and wealth in the region. This social and economic significance of middling planters highlights their role in the agricultural economy of Georgia and the broader implications of the institution of slavery in the South.