Passage 1:
After the Civil War in Georgia, the state was left largely economically and physically damaged. The
economic future of Georgia appeared to be weak. Sherman’s troops had destroyed warehouses, railroads,
cities, and farms. There was also a major shortage of established banks and labor. With slavery now illegal,
large plantations could not operate profitably. Many were sold and divided into smaller farms.
Georgia’s main crop and focus had been on cotton. Georgia continued to plant cotton but faced
failure after failure in turning a profit. While some farmers did grow other crops like corn and wheat, cotton
continued to be the main crop. Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, and Macon eventually saw some stability and
growth in population. There was rapid growth and expansion in re-establishing these cities and the
railroad.
The banks slowly reopened and began stabilizing. Without banks to loan money and regulate
currency, economic expansion was difficult. The city of Atlanta became a major economical city and
eventually, the capital of the state. The port of Savannah began shipping cotton and other goods again. The
city of Columbus began using the railroad to fuel its industry. Textile mills were rebuilt and expanded to
produce various clothing and fabric items. While cities flourished, agriculture suffered.
The farmers attempted to try sharecropping and tenant farms to reestablish agriculture in Georgia.
Under these agreements, they used someone else’s land in exchange for part of the profit from the crop.
Sharecropping and tenant farming were similar. Sharecroppers brought nothing but labor to the farms,
while tenant farmers provided their tools, animals, equipment. Both groups had many things in common.
These types of farmers were typically poor and illiterate. Many were white and African American. Many were
taken advantage of by landowners and become financial prisoners. The landowners forced them to buy
supplies from them which often ended in the farmers being in debt.
Sharecropping and tenant farming would become a part of the system of agriculture in the state for
many decades. Many poor white people and African Americans eventually moved to the north for jobs in the
cities. The great migration was the movement of African Americans from the south to the north. In fact,
Georgia lost about ten percent of its population of African Americans. The farmers also dealt with an
invasive pest called boll weevils. Technology advancements further reduced the number of tenants and
sharecropping. Today, there are still a few tenant farmers in the state.
2. Why did the author write this text?
a. He or she wanted to answer the question, “What are boll weevils?”
b. He or she wanted to describe the Reconstruction Era in Georgia.
c. He or she wanted to explain the reasons the sharecroppers changed America.
d. He or she wanted to describe the railroads in the United States.