Question

Which minority wielded greatest political power in its region in the time period before the civil war?

Answer 1

Planters in the Southern United States made up a minority yet with a powerful influence in the U.S. Congress because of their wealth  resulting from their exports on valuable goods such as tobacco and cotton. Even though the Constitution of the United States states that "all men are created equal before God," southern plantation owners, through their congressmen and senators appointed to Congress, managed to thwart any attempts to abolish slavery as progressive politicians, especially in the industrialized northern states, regarded it was contrary to the human rights granted by the Constitution.

Also, southern plantation owners' influence on both domestic and international political affairs was instrumental in supporting Texas' independence and later annexation to the U.S. and waging war against Mexico, which resulted in the addition of today's western states.