Henry Blake, Freedman from Arkansas on sharecropping “When we worked on shares, we couldn’t make nothing, just overalls and something to eat. Half went to the other man and you would destroy your half, if you weren’t careful. A man that didn’t know how to count would always lose. He might lose anyhow. They didn’t give no itemized statement. No, you just had to take their word. They never give you no details. No matter how good account you kept, you had to go by their account… you better not leave him, you better not try to leave and get caught. They’d keep you in debt…Anything that kept you a slave because he was always right and you were always wrong if there was a difference.” Question 1 What was a common outcome for sharecroppers according to the quote?(1 point) Responses They received fair treatment from landowners They received fair treatment from landowners They were provided with detailed account statements They were provided with detailed account statements They earned a large profit They earned a large profit They often ended up owing more than they earned They often ended up owing more than they earned Question 2 Why did some sharecroppers feel trapped according to the quote?(1 point) Responses They were given the freedom to leave whenever they pleased They were given the freedom to leave whenever they pleased They were guaranteed fair wages for their work They were guaranteed fair wages for their work They were caught in a cycle of debt and poverty They were caught in a cycle of debt and poverty They received clear explanations for their debts They received clear explanations for their debts Skip to navigation
Question 1: They often ended up owing more than they earned
Question 2: They were caught in a cycle of debt and poverty