1. Vocabulary Preview
Ch. 5

2. squatter

3. squatter
A squatter is a person who settles on land without any right to do so.

4. Land speculator

5. Land speculator
A land speculator is a person who tried to buy the best land cheaply. They would sell the same land at a high price.

6. legislature

7. legislature
A legislature is the group of people who make the laws.

8. constitution

9. constitution
A constitution is a plan of government.

10. slavery

11. slavery
Slavery is the practice of owning people and forcing them to work.

12. Black Belt

13. Black Belt
The Black Belt was the area of Alabama where crops grew better than any other area.

14. Trail of Tears

15. Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears is the forced westward journey of Native Americans in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Many people died of hunger, disease, and exhaustion.

16. staple

17. staple
A staple is a food product that is used and needed all the time.

18. Cash crop

19. Cash crop
A cash crop is a crop that is sold rather than used by the people who grew it.

20. plantations

21. Plantations
A plantation is a large farm on which a single crop is grown.