Question

Seventy-five percent of the free population in the South was made up of impoverished
people.

Answer 1

Do you want this rewritten for clarity or correctness? Here are a few improved options and a brief note:

Rewrites
- In the South, 75% of the free population lived in poverty.
- Seventy-five percent of the free population in the South were impoverished.
- Seventy-five percent of free Southerners lived in poverty.

Notes
- Avoid the wordy phrase "was made up of impoverished people." Use "were impoverished" or "lived in poverty."
- Use numerals (75%) for statistics in most contexts, unless a style guide requires words.
- If relevant, specify the time period and which "South" you mean (e.g., antebellum U.S. South).