Question

The agricultural economy in Texas and the South was in ruins following the Civil War. Why were the farmers and planters unable to produce as much as they had before the war?

A.
The many battles in the Texas had destroyed crops.
B.
The North stopped importing produce from the South.
C.
There were no slaves to do the work.
D.
Southerners were fined for causing the Civil War.

Answer 1

I believe that the correct answer is C. Even during the war the South was enraged by the The Emancipation Proclamation with its promise of freedom for their slaves, because the slaves were their primary work force, and as such represented their labor source. It's true, the South was very rich, but it was primarily tied up in the slave economy. When there was no slaves to work, the economy suffered.