Georgia Historical Society

A New Theory to Consider: The Plantation as Cultural Landscape

Lately, the phrase cultural landscape has been applied to a wide variety of both historical and contemporary subjects.  Whether studying each within its own borders or in a survey of multiple sites across the South, examinations of plantations require a look at numerous aspects of both African and American cultures.  Issues sparking debate today include the role of women on the plantation, the influence of African culture on white society, the devaluation of the role of paternalism, and the extent to which slaves used religion in resistance.  Also getting more attention are the ways in which architecture and the positioning of plantation structures within the landscape reflected not only social status, but also the dissemination of form and style, construction techniques, and patterns of use.

From GHS Portrait Collection

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