In the ten years following the civil war, a large numbers of former slaves earned a living by becoming

1. Conductors on the underground railroad

2. Workers in Northern factories

3. Sharecroppers on Southern farms

4. Gold miners in California

In the ten years following the civil war, a large numbers of former slaves earned a living by becoming " 3. Sharecroppers on Southern farms," since their opportunities for advancement were very slim, and moving to the North was often expensive.