Question

a different mirror by ronald takaki
during bacon’s rebellion the specter of class revolution had become a reality, and the scare shook the elite landholders. five years after the rebellion, planters continued to harbor fears of class disorder. large landowners saw that the social order would always be in danger so long as they relied on white labor.

the planters had come to a crossroads. they could open economic opportunities to white workers and extend political privileges to them, but this would erode their own economic advantage and potentially undermine their political hegemony. or they could try to reorganize society on the basis of class and race. by importing and buying more slaves they could reduce their dependence on an armed white labor force and exploit workers from africa, who could be denied the right to bear arms because of their race. after bacon’s rebellion, the planters made their choice: they turned to africa as their primary source of labor and to slavery as their main system of labor.

takaki, ronald t. a different mirror: a history of multicultural america. boston: little, brown, 1993. 60. print.

the ideas expressed in the excerpt best support which of the following conclusions?
elimination tool
select one answer
a the american revolution provided a shift in economic factors that led to the dramatic increase in slavery.
b the creation of the cotton gin caused a shift from white labor to slave labor.
c slavery emerged entirely as a result of racial prejudice in the chesapeake region.
d slavery was a result of racial prejudice, labor needs, and class conflict.

Explanation:

• Option A: The excerpt is about Bacon’s Rebellion and labor choices post - rebellion, not the American Revolution's impact on slavery. Eliminate A.
• Option B: The excerpt does not mention the cotton gin. Eliminate B.
• Option C: The excerpt shows slavery was a result of class conflict (fear of class revolution) and labor needs (reduce dependence on white labor) along with racial factors, not "entirely" racial prejudice. Eliminate C.
• Option D: The planters' choice of slavery was due to class conflict (Bacon’s Rebellion - class revolution scare), labor needs (reduce dependence on white labor), and racial prejudice (exploit African workers, deny them right to bear arms based on race). This option matches the excerpt.

Answer:

D. Slavery was a result of racial prejudice, labor needs, and class conflict.