How Do You Spell SHARECROPPED?
Pronunciation: [ʃˈe͡əkɹɒpt] (IPA) 
Pronunciation: [ʃˈe͡əkɹɒpt] (IPA)
Sharecropped is a term used to describe a farming practice that emerged after the American Civil War, mainly in the Southern United States, in which landowners or plantation owners allowed farmers, usually freed slaves or impoverished white farmers, to cultivate their land in exchange for a share of the resulting crop. The individuals who worked the land, known as sharecroppers, typically lacked the resources to own their own land or equipment, thus entering into agreements with landowners to gain access to arable land.
Under the sharecropping system, landowners provided sharecroppers with a plot of land, as well as necessary equipment and supplies. In return, the sharecroppers would work the land, tending to the crops throughout the year. At harvest time, the crops would be divided between the landowner and the sharecropper, with the sharecropper usually receiving a portion of the crop as compensation for their labor.
The sharecropping system often resulted in a cycle of debt and poverty for the sharecroppers, as they frequently lacked the means to improve their farming techniques or invest in their own agricultural production. As a result, they remained dependent on the landowner and were often unable to escape the cycle of poverty.
The practice of sharecropping declined during the 20th century with the increasing mechanization of agriculture and the gradual shift towards wage labor. Today, sharecropping is mostly considered a historical phenomenon, representing an important chapter in the history of agricultural labor and the struggles of rural communities.
The word "sharecropped" derives from the combination of two words: "share" and "cropped".
- "Share" comes from the Old English word "scearu", meaning a portion or division. In the context of agriculture, it referred to a division or portion of crops that were shared.
- "Cropped" comes from the Old English word "crop", which means a plant or part of a plant that is harvested.
"Sharecropping" is a system where a tenant farmer agrees to work a piece of land in exchange for a portion or share of the crops harvested from that land. The term "sharecropped" refers to the practice of working under such an arrangement.
