Livia

What are the sugar plantations?
The sugar plantations are plantations that produce sugar. Most of them are in the Caribbean.

Why was sugar so important?
Sugar was really important because with the depressing prices of cotton and tobacco, the local farmers switched to growing sugar cane. Then, growing sugar became a big hit.

Slaves and the plantations
Most of the workers were African slaves that were forcibly shipped from Africa. Because of the plantations, the ratio of slaves to free men.

Working conditions
The working conditions were very bad. The average life expectancy of an imported slave was 7 years.