Question

How many slaves did the United States have before the Civil War began?

A) Four thousand
B) Four million
C) Forty thousand
D) Four hundred thousand

Answer 1

In 1860, just before the Civil War, there were about 4.4 million African Americans in the U.S., and of these, approximately 3.95 million were enslaved.

Step-by-step explanation:

Before the Civil War began, the United States saw a significant number of African Americans held in slavery. According to the 1860 census, approximately 4.4 million African Americans lived in the United States, and of that population, about 3.95 million were enslaved. This made the enslaved population in the South responsible for one of the largest forced internal migrations in the country. Slaveholders owned various numbers of slaves, with some enslaving between one and ninety-nine people each, or in some cases, over one hundred people each. The correct answer to the student's question, regarding how many slaves existed in the United States before the Civil War, is B) Four million.