Question

Which of the following is the main reason most former slaves in South Carolina were unable to improve their economic or social standing during Reconstruction?
A.
They were kept in poverty and in a subordinate position because of the sharecrop system.
B.
They were kept in poverty because of the very low prices paid for the crops they grew.
C.
They were kept in poverty and in a subordinate position because they were unable to vote.
D.
They were kept in a subordinate position because they were denied basic education.

Answer 1

A.

The sharecropping/tenant system trapped most freedpeople in a cycle of debt and dependence on white landowners. Although low crop prices, voting restrictions (mainly after Reconstruction), and limited schooling were factors, sharecropping was the primary structural economic reason they could not build independent wealth or improve their social position.