Sharecropping And Tenant Farming
Sharecropping allowed former slaves and landless whites to have a job, and it gave planters and farmers people to work the fields. Sharecropping is an agricultural system common after the Civil War where landless farmers and freedmen worked the land of a landowner. They were given a house, farming tools, and animals, seed, and fertilizer all for a share of the harvest. Landowners gave the farmers supplies such as food and medicine until they could afford to pay for it. This was stored on credit which is the ability to buy for something later or pay for it over a period of time. They had to pay off the credit to the landowner, and give them a share of the crop usually leaving them with little to no money.
Tenant farming was similar to sharecropping. Tenant farming is an agricultural system where farmers and freedmen worked the land of a landowner in exchange for cash or an agreed-upon share of the harvest; tenant farmers usually owned some equipment and animals. The farmers usually owned mules, seeds, and fertilizer, and by the end of the year they had to pay the landowner or give him a share of the crop. They too made little to no profit off of the work they did.
Sharecropping and tenant farming were good and bad in their own ways. With sharecropping you were given your own supplies which helped out poor whites and freedmen who previously had nothing. However, when you borrowed medicine, food, or clothes these things were stored on credit. This could takes years or your whole life to pay off. You would be in debt to your landowner who might take advantage of you, so you would continue to stay in debt. Being in debt you wouldn't be able to purchase your own equipment or land so you would have to stay with the landowner. In tenant farming you would get your own supplies that you could use to harvest crops. At the beginning however this might be difficult because you previously had nothing. However, unlike sharecropping you wouldn't constantly be in debt to your landowner. You would have to at the end of every year pay him or give him part of your harvest. Tenant farmers also owned more than sharecroppers and made a small profit because of it. While both of these systems were complex, they both were difficult lifestyles for tenant farmers and sharecroppers.
Tenant farming was similar to sharecropping. Tenant farming is an agricultural system where farmers and freedmen worked the land of a landowner in exchange for cash or an agreed-upon share of the harvest; tenant farmers usually owned some equipment and animals. The farmers usually owned mules, seeds, and fertilizer, and by the end of the year they had to pay the landowner or give him a share of the crop. They too made little to no profit off of the work they did.
Sharecropping and tenant farming were good and bad in their own ways. With sharecropping you were given your own supplies which helped out poor whites and freedmen who previously had nothing. However, when you borrowed medicine, food, or clothes these things were stored on credit. This could takes years or your whole life to pay off. You would be in debt to your landowner who might take advantage of you, so you would continue to stay in debt. Being in debt you wouldn't be able to purchase your own equipment or land so you would have to stay with the landowner. In tenant farming you would get your own supplies that you could use to harvest crops. At the beginning however this might be difficult because you previously had nothing. However, unlike sharecropping you wouldn't constantly be in debt to your landowner. You would have to at the end of every year pay him or give him part of your harvest. Tenant farmers also owned more than sharecroppers and made a small profit because of it. While both of these systems were complex, they both were difficult lifestyles for tenant farmers and sharecroppers.