Question

Slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1833, thirty years before the Emancipation Proclamation in the United States. But even after they freed their slaves, the sugar plantation owners were desperate to find cheap labor to cut cane and process sugar. So the British owners looked to another part of the empire—India—and recruited thousands of men and women, who were given five-year contracts and a passage back.

–Sugar Changed the World,
Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos
How is the text structured in this passage from the prologue?

Answer 1

The text in this passage from the prologue is structured in chronological order. The first sentence establishes the time frame by stating that slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1833, thirty years before the Emancipation Proclamation in the United States. The next sentence explains the situation that arose after slavery was abolished, with the sugar plantation owners needing to find cheap labor to cut cane and process sugar. The following sentences describe how the British owners looked to India and recruited thousands of men and women to work on the plantations under five-year contracts. Overall, the passage presents a historical narrative that follows a linear timeline, from the abolition of slavery to the recruitment of Indian laborers.

Answer 2

Answer: The text in this passage from the prologue is structured chronologically, with a focus on cause and effect. The author first establishes that slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1833, then explains that sugar plantation owners were still in need of cheap labor, leading them to look to India. The author then describes how the British recruited Indian men and women on five-year contracts, providing them with passage to the sugar plantations in the Caribbean. The passage follows a clear progression of events, with each sentence building upon the previous one to provide a coherent and logical narrative.