Sharecropping is an agricultural system that emerged in the Southern United States after the Civil War. In this arrangement, landowners provided land, tools, and seeds to farmers, known as sharecroppers, who worked the land in exchange for a share of the crops produced. This system allowed many formerly enslaved people to earn a living, but it often led to cycles of debt and poverty. Under sharecropping, the sharecropper typically received a portion of the harvest, while the landowner kept the rest. This created a dependency on the landowner, as sharecroppers often had to borrow money for supplies and were charged high interest rates. As a result, many sharecroppers struggled to achieve financial independence, perpetuating economic inequality in the region.