Question

The South's ability to grow its own food and produce valuable crops such as cotton indicates what type of strength?

Answer 1

The correct answer here is agriculture.

Agriculture is the cultivation of plants and breeding of animals in order to provide food and other products to sustain life. Agriculture created food surpluses which was the main reason for people to be able to live in cities. The major agricultural products are : food, fibers, fuels, raw materials ( rubber ). Over one third of the world's workers are employed in agriculture.

The United States leads worldwide in cotton exportation ( behind China and India). Almost all of the cotton fiber growth and production occurs in southern and western states such as : Texas, California, Arizona, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana. Over the centuries, cotton became a staple crop in American agriculture.

Answer 2

It would probably be the last one, agriculture because agriculture refers to actually growing crops while the other words dont directly relate to that.