The South's economy in the 1850s is best described as?

The correct answer is agricultural.

During the 1850's, the Southern states focused almost exclusively on producing cotton. Cotton was a very valuable commodity, as it can be used to make several different goods. Due to the high demand for this product and the significant profits to be made, many southern plantations focused solely on this crop. This agricultural economy based on cotton production would be one of the flaws of the Southern states right before the Civil War began.