Sharecropping

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the group in Congress that wanted to break up the power of slaveholders and protect the rights of freedmen during Reconstruction?

• Radical Democrats

• Radical Republicans

• Conservative Democrats

• Conservative Republicans

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the laws created in the aftermath of the Civil War to control the behavior of freedmen and limit their opportunities?

• Jim Crow laws

• Emancipation laws

• Black codes

• Reconstruction Amendments

Multiple Choice

What did the 14^th amendment do?

• Ended slavery

• The right to vote cannot be denied based on race

• Protected citizenship rights

Multiple Choice

What did the 15^th amendment do?

• Ended slavery

• The right to vote cannot be denied based on race

• Protected citizenship rights

​This is an image from Georgia in 1898. What do you see in this image?

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Based on this image and your understanding of U.S. history, what system of labor is shown in this image?

​ Without any land to own for themselves, free African Americans could not grow crops to sell or to feed to their families. This forced many formers slaves to sign contracts to work with white plantation owners. Plantation owners did not have enough cash to pay their workers.

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          Under the system of sharecropping, landowners divided their land and gave it to each worker – freed African Americans or poor whites. When the crops were grown, the worker had to give half of the crops to the plantation owner and keep the rest for himself. In theory, the worker can save enough of their crops to move up the land and eventually afford their own land.

​​Document A: Sharecropping (Textbook Account)

Multiple Choice

How does the system of sharecropping work?

• The worker is allowed to keep all profits for themselves.

• The worker is provided land and must give half of their crops to the landowner.

• The worker is given a choice if they want to be paid in cash or in food and housing.

• The worker is given land to use that they own.

To everyone renting land, the following conditions must be agreed to: For every 30 acres of land (rented by sharecroppers), I will provide a mule team, plow, and farming tools. The sharecroppers can have half of the cotton, corn, peas, pumpkins, and potatoes they grow if the following conditions are followed, but--if not--they are to have less.

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For every mule or horse furnished by me there must be 1000 good sized logs hauled, and the fence repaired if I so direct. All sharecroppers must haul logs and work on the fence whenever I say so. The wood must be split and the fence repaired before corn is planted. No cotton must be planted by sharecroppers on their land. No sharecropper is to work off the plantation when there is any work for them to do for me. Every sharecropper must be responsible for all farming gear placed in his hands, and if not returned must be paid for unless it is worn out by use. Nothing can be sold from their (sharecroppers’) crops until my rent is all paid, and all amounts they owe me are paid in full. The sale of every sharecropper's part of the cotton to be made by me when and where I choose to sell, and after taking all they owe me.

Document B: Sharecropping Contract (1882)

Open Ended

Based on the sharecropping contract, what are two rules sharecroppers had to follow?

Open Ended

Why might this system leave the worker in debt (owes money to) the plantation owner?

 

Open Ended

According to the image, what is one effect that this system has on sharecroppers?

Open Ended

According to the image, what is one effect that this system has on landowners?

Open Ended

Why is sharecropping called a “cycle of poverty?”