Why did sharecropping lead to a cycle of poverty?
(1 point)
Responses
No one shared the tools, seed, or fertilizer needed to be successful.
No one shared the tools, seed, or fertilizer needed to be successful.
Freedmen had worked on farms all their life and didn’t want to work on farms anymore.
Freedmen had worked on farms all their life and didn’t want to work on farms anymore.
Crop prices were low, which prevented farmers from being able to pay off debts.
Crop prices were low, which prevented farmers from being able to pay off debts.
There was not enough land for everyone
There was not enough land for everyone
The correct answer is:
Crop prices were low, which prevented farmers from being able to pay off debts.
The correct response is:
Crop prices were low, which prevented farmers from being able to pay off debts.
The correct answer is: Crop prices were low, which prevented farmers from being able to pay off debts.
Sharecropping was a labor system that emerged in the Southern United States after the Civil War. Under this system, freedmen and poor white farmers would rent land from landowners and would pay their rent through a share of the crops they produced. However, sharecropping often resulted in a cycle of poverty for several reasons:
1. Low crop prices: The price of crops, such as cotton, were often low due to overproduction and a lack of demand. This meant that the sharecroppers received less money for their crops, making it difficult to generate enough income to pay off their debts.
2. A reliance on credit: Sharecroppers typically lacked the necessary resources to purchase their own tools, seed, and fertilizer. As a result, they often relied on credit from landowners or local merchants to obtain these essential inputs. The sharecroppers would then have to pay off these debts using the proceeds from their crops. However, with low crop prices, they often struggled to repay their debts, leading to a continuous cycle of indebtedness.
3. Limited economic mobility: Sharecroppers were usually tied to the land, as they had signed contracts or agreements to work on a specific farm. This lack of mobility prevented them from seeking better economic opportunities elsewhere, keeping them trapped in poverty.
While the other options mentioned in the responses do contribute to the challenges faced by sharecroppers, such as the lack of shared tools, seed, or fertilizer, and the limited availability of land, the low crop prices play a central role in perpetuating the cycle of poverty.