Which statement best describes the role of slavery in the Southern economy?

Question

The Southern economy was based on agriculture and they used slave labor to work the farms, producing food and other raw materials for the natural market.

Slavery was not important in the Southern states after the creation of the cotton gin.

The Southern economy was based on manufacturing and they needed slave labor to work in the factories.

Answer 1

The statement that best describes the role of slavery in the Southern economy is:

The Southern economy was based on agriculture and they used slave labor to work the farms, producing food and other raw materials for the natural market.

This accurately reflects the heavy reliance on slave labor in the agricultural sector, particularly in the production of cash crops like cotton, tobacco, and rice, which were crucial to the economy of the Southern states.