Analyze how the plantation economy impacted the small farmers who lived inland in South Carolina prior to the Civil War.(1 point)

Question

Responses

Small farmers moved to Charleston to work in textile mills.
Small farmers moved to Charleston to work in textile mills.

Small farmers began to grow rice in large quantities.
Small farmers began to grow rice in large quantities.

Small farmers shifted away from growing food to grow cotton.
Small farmers shifted away from growing food to grow cotton.

Small farmers began to sell off their land in large quantities.

Answer 1

The correct response would be: Small farmers shifted away from growing food to grow cotton.

This option accurately reflects how the plantation economy, which was heavily focused on cash crops like cotton, influenced small farmers in inland South Carolina. As plantations thrived with the production of cash crops, small farmers often found themselves under economic pressure to compete, which led many to adapt their farming practices. Consequently, they shifted from subsistence farming or growing a variety of food crops to focusing on cotton cultivation to align with market demands and economic trends fostered by the plantation economy. This shift could lead to increased dependence on the cotton market and, ultimately, to vulnerabilities associated with the volatile nature of cash crop economies.