Question

human rights versus property rights. that argument goes on today as, for example, we debate how closely to regulate coal mining. is it best to let owners set rules, which is likely to give all of us cheaper coal, or to have the government set standards, which is more likely to protect workers and the environment? in france, one side argued that slaves must be freed. the other said that to change anything in the sugar islands would invite slave revolts, help france’s rivals, and thus hurt the nation. in the new united states, the revolution gave white men with property a sense of freedom, while africans were still enslaved. in england, abolitionists spoke up for africans, but kings and lords still ruled. in france, revolutionaries were turning against their own nobles but remained uncertain about what this meant for enslaved africans on their sugar islands. the age of revolutions was pressing ideas of freedom against the rights of property, and no one was sure where these great clashes would lead. which line from the passage best provides evidence that the sugar trade led to the end of slavery?

• “in france, one side argued that slaves must be freed.”
• “to change anything in the sugar islands would invite slave revolts, help france’s rivals, and thus hurt the nation.”
• “no one was sure where these great clashes would lead.”
• “in revolutionary france, the defenders of slaves began to win the argument against the advocates of property rights.”

Explanation:

To determine the line that shows the sugar trade led to the end of slavery, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: Just states one side argued for freeing slaves, not connecting to sugar trade's role in ending slavery.
• Option 2: Discusses fears of changing sugar islands, not evidence of slavery's end.
• Option 3: Is about uncertainty of clashes, not related to sugar trade ending slavery.
• Option 4: In revolutionary France, defenders of slaves (for ending slavery) won against property rights advocates (who likely supported sugar trade - related slavery). This shows the sugar trade - related property rights vs. human rights argument led to slaves' defenders winning, implying sugar trade's context led to slavery's end.

Answer:

D. "In revolutionary France, the defenders of slaves began to win the argument against the advocates of property rights."