1. Reconfiguration of Southern Agriculture

2. Sharecropping Sharecropping was a common arrangement during Reconstruction and involves a land-owner and a plantation, or agricultural worker sharing profits in exchange for labor. Sharecropping was a common arrangement during Reconstruction and involves a land-owner and a plantation, or agricultural worker sharing profits in exchange for labor. Typically this meant the land-owner was to provide housing, food, and tools in exchange for the worker's services. Typically this meant the land-owner was to provide housing, food, and tools in exchange for the worker's services. In practice, however, rich land-owners often exploited their workers, providing poor housing, forcing extremely long work days, and offering few crops in exchange for labor. In practice, however, rich land-owners often exploited their workers, providing poor housing, forcing extremely long work days, and offering few crops in exchange for labor. As a result, the workers tended to become quite indebted to the land-owners, entering into what was more of indentured servitude than a mutually beneficial work agreement. As a result, the workers tended to become quite indebted to the land-owners, entering into what was more of indentured servitude than a mutually beneficial work agreement.

3. Sharecropping and African Americans While surely unfair for workers, the sharecropping system was particularly damaging for African Americans. While surely unfair for workers, the sharecropping system was particularly damaging for African Americans. Southern plantation owners found their returns not nearly as profitable as pre-Civil War times and the general consensus was that the African American freedom was largely to blame. Southern plantation owners found their returns not nearly as profitable as pre-Civil War times and the general consensus was that the African American freedom was largely to blame. Since African Americans were no longer forced to work, it was more difficult for the land- owners to secure employment. Since African Americans were no longer forced to work, it was more difficult for the land- owners to secure employment.

4. Farmer's Alliance Sharecropping and the crop lien credit system had profound implications for Southern agriculture. Sharecropping and the crop lien credit system had profound implications for Southern agriculture. In response to the high costs and low returns of farming in the South after the Civil War, Farmer's Alliances were created, particularly in Texas. In response to the high costs and low returns of farming in the South after the Civil War, Farmer's Alliances were created, particularly in Texas. This Alliance attempted to offset the changes to farming practices and costs by lowering costs and sharing farming ideas in a way that would benefit all farmers. This Alliance attempted to offset the changes to farming practices and costs by lowering costs and sharing farming ideas in a way that would benefit all farmers.

5. Southern Agriculture and the Railroad The expansion of the railroad did much for the expansion of Southern agriculture, particularly the cotton trade. The expansion of the railroad did much for the expansion of Southern agriculture, particularly the cotton trade. Railroads provided the South with the means to distribute their crops to the North in large quantities which, in turn, raised the demand for the crops they were producing. Railroads provided the South with the means to distribute their crops to the North in large quantities which, in turn, raised the demand for the crops they were producing. Southern agriculture increased and expanded. Southern agriculture increased and expanded. The following chart displays the amounts of crops being transported to the North from Southern states. The following chart displays the amounts of crops being transported to the North from Southern states.

6. Multimedia Citations Slide 2: http://northbysouth.kenyon.edu/2002/Music/Pages/ worksongs.htm Slide 2: http://northbysouth.kenyon.edu/2002/Music/Pages/ worksongs.htm http://northbysouth.kenyon.edu/2002/Music/Pages/ worksongs.htm http://northbysouth.kenyon.edu/2002/Music/Pages/ worksongs.htm Slide 3: http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/northamerica/aft er1500/people/pictures/sharecropper.jpg Slide 3: http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/northamerica/aft er1500/people/pictures/sharecropper.jpg http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/northamerica/aft er1500/people/pictures/sharecropper.jpg http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/northamerica/aft er1500/people/pictures/sharecropper.jpg Slide 4: http://www.rootsweb.com/~necedar/nfa.jpg Slide 4: http://www.rootsweb.com/~necedar/nfa.jpghttp://www.rootsweb.com/~necedar/nfa.jpg Slide 5: http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq /online/v035/n2/contrib_DIVL1630.html Slide 5: http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq /online/v035/n2/contrib_DIVL1630.html http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq /online/v035/n2/contrib_DIVL1630.html http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq /online/v035/n2/contrib_DIVL1630.html