104k views
3 votes
What were the three ways that slavery supplied the foundation of the American economy?

User Hackinet
by
7.6k points

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

Slavery supplied the foundation of the American economy through the South's reliance on enslaved people for crops like cotton, rice, and tobacco, the economic benefits experienced by non-slaveholders .

Step-by-step explanation:

Three ways that slavery supplied the foundation of the American economy include:

  1. The South's dependence on slaves to harvest crops such as cotton, rice, and tobacco. Slavery provided a large and cheap labor force that was crucial for the success of these industries.
  2. The international slave trade and the side effects it had on non-slaveholders, including merchants and ship builders. These individuals benefited economically from the trade, which contributed to the overall strength of the American economy.
  3. The economic reliance of the South on cotton, a commodity produced using slave labor. Cotton became a major export and fueled the profits of cotton mills in the North, further supporting the American economy.

User MrMaffen
by
6.7k points