- Sharecropping is an agricultural system in which the farmer works a portion of land owned by another person and pays rent in the form of a share of the crop.
- Tenant farming is an agricultural system in which the farmer rents land from another person and pays a fixed amount of rent in the form of cash or a share of the crop.
- Debt servitude is a system of labor in which a person is forced to work to pay off a debt. These systems often resulted in African Americans remaining trapped in poverty and exploitation, even after the end of slavery.
Others invested in new industries and businesses, such as railroads and factories, to generate wealth.
- Railroads were expanding rapidly after the Civil War, and many former slave owners invested in railroad companies. Railroads were seen as a key factor in the development of the American economy, and investing in them was a way for former slave owners to maintain their wealth.
- Many former slave owners also invested in factories and other industrial businesses, as the American economy was transitioning from an agricultural to an industrial economy. These investments allowed former slave owners to profit from the changing economy.
Still, others moved away to other parts of the country, such as the West, to escape the social and political consequences of emancipation.
- The end of slavery had a profound impact on the social and political structure of the South. Many former slave owners felt their power and status had been diminished, and they sought to move away to start new lives in other regions.
- The American West was a popular destination for former slave owners, as it offered the opportunity for new land and new wealth.