Question

what distinguished the entrepreneurial planters of the cotton south in the 1840s and 1850s from the upper - class planters of the old south?
a plain and simple life
b greater opulence and elegance
c heightened religious hypocrisy
d attitude of aristocratic paternalism

Explanation:

The entrepreneurial planters of the Cotton South in the 1840s and 1850s were more focused on business and wealth - accumulation. They did not have the same aristocratic pretensions of the upper - class planters of the Old South who often emphasized a more 'aristocratic' (in terms of a certain lifestyle) attitude. The entrepreneurial planters' lifestyle was relatively plain and simple as they were more concerned with the practical aspects of cotton production and business.

Answer:

a. A plain and simple life