Question

Which answer best summarizes the main benefit of slavery to the colonies?

1. slavery helped secure settlements in the New World against invading forces.

2. Buying slaves was a way to immediately improve one's status in the New World.

3. Slavery allowed the colonists to use natural resources for maximum profit.

4. Owning slaves offered colonists a way to spread out into other parts of the country.

Answer 1

3. Slavery allowed the colonists to use natural resources for maximum profit.

Explanation: Slavery allowed colonists to cheaply harvest crops like tobacco and cotton. Unlike indentured servitude, slaves were bound to colonist for life and were a reliable way to secure wealth.