Why were backcountry colonists more self-sufficient than plantation owners?
(1 point)
Responses
They had more slaves to help them.
Farming along the coast provided everything they needed.
Living in the “breadbasket” provided them with enough money from their cash crops.
Nearly everything they needed was made at home.
Nearly everything they needed was made at home.
The correct answer is: Nearly everything they needed was made at home.
The correct answer is: Nearly everything they needed was made at home.
Backcountry settlers were more self-sufficient than plantation owners because they lived in remote areas and had limited access to trade networks. Therefore, they had to rely on their own resources to meet their needs. They didn't have the luxury of depending on imports or trading for goods like plantation owners along the coast.
To arrive at this answer, it's important to understand the differences between backcountry colonists and plantation owners. Backcountry colonists were settlers who lived in the interior or wilderness areas, away from established communities and plantations. They typically lived a more rugged and independent lifestyle.
On the other hand, plantation owners lived on large estates or plantations along the coast where they had access to extensive trade networks and relied heavily on cash crops for income. They often had large numbers of enslaved people to work on their plantations and produce valuable crops like tobacco or cotton.
Backcountry colonists, lacking these advantages, had to provide for themselves. They relied on subsistence farming, which means growing crops and raising livestock primarily for their own consumption. They would produce food, clothes, tools, and other necessities themselves. They would hunt, fish, and trap for meat, gather wild resources, and cultivate small-scale farming to sustain their households. They would also often make their own homes, furniture, clothes, and other essential items.
Knowing this, we can conclude that backcountry colonists were more self-sufficient because they had to make nearly everything they needed at home, unlike plantation owners who had greater access to resources and trade networks.