Final answer:
The Upper South in the 1860s primarily grew crops like Chesapeake tobacco, Carolina rice, and particularly cotton, which had surged in dominance due to the cotton gin. Cotton became the key commercial crop, making up a significant portion of global supply, while other crops raised by enslaved Africans also contributed to the region's agriculture.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Upper South in the 1860s, continued to produce traditional crops such as Chesapeake tobacco and Carolina rice, which had been staples since the colonial era. However, the antebellum period saw cotton emerge as the region's dominant commercial crop, surpassing the economic importance of both tobacco and rice. The invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793, fueled a transformative cotton boom. By 1860, the southern states were responsible for two-thirds of the world's cotton supply. Additionally, crops reflecting African origins, such as okra, peanuts, sesame seeds, and peppers, were raised by enslaved Africans and became part of the Southern staple diet.
Despite cotton's dominance, planters and farmers were constrained by the economic pressures of debt, leading to the expansion of sharecropping after the Civil War. Moreover, the South remained largely rural with little urbanization or industrialization, thus reliant on agriculture. During the war, many farmers still focused on cash crops like tobacco and cotton instead of food production, contributing to deprivation and starvation amongst civilians.