why was sharecropping so appealing to blacks and poor whites in the south?

Sharecropping was appealing to Black people and poor whites in the South after the Civil War primarily because it was one of the few available options for economic survival and land access in a devastated Southern economy. Freed Black families and poor whites, who lacked capital and access to land ownership, were able to work portions of land in exchange for a share of the crop, allowing them to support themselves and their families. This system provided an alternative to wage labor and offered a degree of autonomy compared to gang labor under slavery. However, sharecropping often trapped these farmers in cycles of debt due to high interest rates, credit dependency on landlords or merchants, unpredictable harvests, and unfair contracts, making it difficult to achieve economic independence. Despite these hardships, sharecropping was widespread because it met the needs of landowners who required labor but were unwilling to pay wages after emancipation. It also allowed tenants to maintain livelihoods when wages and other options were scarce in the postwar South. In summary, sharecropping's appeal lay in its provision of land access and work opportunities amid widespread poverty and limited alternatives, even though it ultimately perpetuated economic hardship and dependence for both Black and poor white farmers in the South.