A painting shows approximately two dozen slaves working on a plantation, either picking cotton in a field or loading it onto carts. Smoke rises from a steamboat on a river in the background.

Question

Question
Use the image to answer the question.
Which of the following statements can be inferred from the painting?
(1 point)
Responses

Since there are so many slaves working in the field, the cotton gin is not yet in use at this plantation.
Since there are so many slaves working in the field, the cotton gin is not yet in use at this plantation.

Since there is a steamboat in the background, the Industrial Revolution must be at an end.
Since there is a steamboat in the background, the Industrial Revolution must be at an end.

Since there are over 20 slaves in the image, the plantation owner would be considered a member of the cottonocracy.
Since there are over 20 slaves in the image, the plantation owner would be considered a member of the cottonocracy.

Since there is such a small field of cotton, the main crop of this plantation must have been rice or tobacco.
Since there is such a small field of cotton, the main crop of this plantation must have been rice or tobacco.

Answer 1

Based on the painting described, the most reasonable inference would be:

Since there are so many slaves working in the field, the cotton gin is not yet in use at this plantation.

This statement implies that the high number of slaves is necessary for manual labor in picking cotton, suggesting that if the cotton gin were in use, fewer slaves would be needed for that labor, as the gin significantly increases efficiency in cotton production.

The other statements do not logically follow from the visual information given in the description of the painting.