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 often ended up owing more than they earned They often ended up owing more than they earned They received fair treatment from landowners They received fair treatment from landowners They earned a large profit They earned a large profit They were provided with detailed account statements They were provided with detailed account statements Question 2 Why did some sharecroppers feel trapped according to the quote?(1 point) Responses They were guaranteed fair wages for their work They were guaranteed fair wages for their work They received clear explanations for their debts They received clear explanations for their debts They were given the freedom to leave whenever they pleased They were given the freedom to leave whenever they pleased They were caught in a cycle of debt and poverty They were caught in a cycle of debt and poverty Skip to navigation

1 answer

Question 1: What was a common outcome for sharecroppers according to the quote?
Response: They often ended up owing more than they earned.

Question 2: Why did some sharecroppers feel trapped according to the quote?
Response: They were caught in a cycle of debt and poverty.