Final answer:
If slaves were not used for growing crops, alternatives like sharecropping could have been used. However, sharecropping did not provide economic independence. Plantation-style agriculture can lead to food insecurity and economic vulnerability.
Step-by-step explanation:
If slaves were not used for growing staple crops, it is possible that there would have been alternative methods of growing crops. One example is the practice of sharecropping, where former slaves or poor farmers could work on someone else's land and give a portion of their harvest as payment. However, it is important to note that sharecropping had its own challenges and did not provide economic independence to freed people. Additionally, some regions may have relied on plantation-style agriculture due to limited alternatives, which can lead to food insecurity and economic vulnerability.