What is the term used to define a society in which the people in each class were expected to show respect to their "betters" in the classes above them? The Antebellum South was an example of such a society.
The term used to define a society in which people in each class are expected to show respect to their "betters" in the classes above them is known as a hierarchical society or a class-based society. In the context of the Antebellum South, this social structure was specifically characterized as a caste system or a rigid social hierarchy.
To get this answer, one can start by understanding the basic definitions of the given terms. "Hierarchy" refers to a system where individuals or groups are ranked or organized according to their status or importance. "Society" is a group of individuals living together in a structured community. By combining these terms, one can understand that a hierarchical society is one where individuals are ranked based on social classes.
Further, to analyze the contextual example of the Antebellum South, it is necessary to consider historical knowledge or research. The term "Antebellum" refers to the period before the American Civil War (1861-1865). During this time, the Southern United States was primarily agrarian and had a distinct social structure. This society was predominantly organized around a plantation economy and was built upon the institution of slavery.
In the Antebellum South, there were strict social divisions based on race, with white slaveholding elites at the top of the social ladder, followed by non-slaveholding whites, free people of color, and enslaved African Americans at the bottom. The expectation of showing respect to those above them reinforced the social order and thus exemplified a hierarchical society.
To summarize, the term used to define a society where people are expected to show respect to their "betters" in higher social classes is a hierarchical society. In the context of the Antebellum South, this social structure was specifically known as a caste system or a rigid social hierarchy, with the plantation-based slaveholding elite at the pinnacle.