Question

Why did freeing enslaved people hurt the Southern economy?


Because the freeing of enslaved people meant the landowners lost all their workers.


Because the war had driven many landowners bankrupt.


Because Union soldiers had destroyed many plantations.


Because most of the richest landowners were killed during the Civil War.

Answer 1

The primary reason why freeing enslaved people hurt the Southern economy is that landowners lost their workforce. Enslaved people were the backbone of the Southern agricultural economy, particularly in the cotton, tobacco, and sugar industries. When emancipation occurred, landowners suddenly faced a labor shortage, which severely impacted their ability to maintain productivity and profitability.

While other factors such as the destruction of plantations and the financial devastation caused by the Civil War also contributed to the South's economic struggles, the immediate loss of an enslaved workforce was the most direct and impactful reason for the economic downturn following emancipation.