Sharecropping during

Reconstruction

Social Studies Success

Sharecropping

Social Studies Success

During Reconstruction, sharecropping was one of few options for penniless freedmen to farm and support themselves and their families. Sharecropping was the most economically popular, as it provided incentives for workers to produce a bigger harvest. During Reconstruction, the federal Freedmen's Bureau ordered the arrangement and wrote and enforced the contracts. Though the arrangement protected sharecroppers from the negative effects of a bad crop, many sharecroppers were economically confined to poverty. To work the land, sharecroppers had to buy seed and implements, sometimes from the plantation owner who of ten charged high prices. Contracts also typically gave half or less of the crop to the sharecropper, and the sale price in some cases was set by the landowner. Lacking the resources to market his crops independently, the sharecropper continued the cycle of poverty.

Outlawed by the 13th Amendment, the newest form of legal slavery in the South became sharecropping. Sharecropping was a way for very poor farmers to earn a living from land owned by someone else. The landowner provided land, housing, tools and seed, and perhaps a mule, and a local merchant loaned money for food and supplies. At harvest time the sharecropper received a share of the crop (from one-third to one-half), which paid off his debt to the merchant. By the late 1860s white farmers also became sharecroppers. The system was different from that of the tenant farmer, who rented the land, provided his own tools and mule, and received half the crop. Landowners provided more supervision to sharecroppers, and less or none to tenant farmers.

Questions1. How did sharecropping work?

2. How did sharecropping keep workers in poverty?

3. Why would African Americans agree to sharecropping af ter enduring slavery?

4. How are sharecropping and slavery similar and different? Complete the graphic organizer on the back of this handout.

A Sharecropping Contract - Poor, illiterate and intimidated by widespread violence af ter the Civil War, many former slaves agreed to sharecropping contracts, such as this one, that were designed to keep them in poverty.

Sharecropping

Social Studies Success

1. Highlight the words in the contract you think are important. What do they tell you about the purpose of this contract.

2. Who is this contract designed to protect?

3. Why do you think the contract was necessary?

4. Rewrite this contract into your own words.

Questions

This agreement, made and entered into this 18th day of January, 1879, between Solid South, and John Dawson.

…Dawson is to cultivate said land in a proper manner, under the general superintendence of the said Solid South, or his agent or manager, and is to surrender to said lessor peaceable possession of said leased premises at the expiration of this lease without notice to quit. All ditches, turn-rows, bridges, fences, etc. on said land shall be kept in proper condition by said Dawson, or at his expense. All cotton-seed raised on said land shall be held for the exclusive use of said plantation, and no goods of any kind shall be kept for sale on any said land unless by consent of

said lessor.If said Solid South shall furnish to said lessee money or necessary supplies, or stock, or material, or either or all of them during this lease, to enable him to make a crop, the amount of said advances, not to exceed $475 (of which $315 has been furnished in two mules, plows, etc.), the said Dawson agrees to pay for the supplies and advances so furnished, out of the first cotton picked and saved on said land from the crop of said year, and to deliver said cotton of the first picking to the said Solid South, in the gin on said plantation, to be by him bought or shipped at his option, the proceeds to be applied to payment of said supply bill, which is to be fully paid on or before the 1st day of January, 1880.Any violation of this contract shall render the lease void.

Agreement between Landlord and Sharecropper

Sharecroppers ActivityUse Henry Blake’s primary source to create a Sensory Figure of a sharecropper. Label it with descriptions of what he was seeing, hearing, saying, feeling, or doing — to convey significant thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

Social Studies Success

Sharecropping

Video Questions:

How would you describe sharecropping?

How does Sharecropping benefit the owner of the land, but not the workers?

What was the difference between slavery and Sharecropping?

Social Studies Success

Sharecropping

Video Questions:

How would you describe sharecropping?

How does Sharecropping benefit the owner of the land, but not the workers?

What was the difference between slavery and Sharecropping?

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