Sharecropping

Sharecropping is an agricultural system that emerged in the Southern United States after the Civil War. Former slaves and poor farmers would work land owned by someone else, usually a plantation owner. In exchange for farming the land, they received a share of the crops, typically around half, while the landowner provided tools, seeds, and housing. This system often kept sharecroppers in debt and poverty, as prices for supplies were high, and they struggled to make enough money to escape the cycle. It reflected the socio-economic challenges of the post-war South and the limited opportunities for African Americans.