Question

Slaves who worked the cotton plantations of the antebellum South usually lived in small wooden shacks and wore simple cotton clothing, but they often ate more calories per day than poor working people in the North. Which statement best explains this?
A.
Slaveholders wanted to keep costs low, but they grew plenty of food on their plantations.
B.
Slaveholders wanted to keep costs low, but they also needed to keep their slaves healthy.
C.
Slaveholders provided housing and clothing, but slaves grew their own food.
D.
Slaveholders provided housing and clothing, but the states provided the food.

Answer 1

B

Slaveholders minimized costs but had a strong interest in maintaining a healthy, productive labor force, so they provided steady, calorie‑dense rations (cornmeal, pork, etc.), often produced on the plantation.