The affix ante- means "before." Based on this knowledge and the meaning of the root belli, when was the Antebellum period in American history?

1. After the Great Depression
2. After World War 1
3. Before the Civil War
4. Before the Liberty Bell

3. Before the Civil War

Based on the meaning of the affix "ante-" which means "before," and the root "belli" which refers to war, the Antebellum period in American history refers to the period before the Civil War. Therefore, the correct answer is option 3: Before the Civil War.

To determine when the Antebellum period in American history occurred, we need to understand the meanings of the root "belli" and the affix "ante-."

The root "belli" comes from the Latin word "bellum," which means "war." The affix "ante-" means "before." So, when we combine these two, we can infer that "antebellum" refers to the time period before a particular war.

Now, considering the given options, we can identify that the Antebellum period must be before the Civil War, as the Civil War was a significant conflict in American history. Therefore, the correct answer is option 3: Before the Civil War.