What effect did the plantation system have on early European colonies in the Americas?

A. It eliminated the racial caste hierarchy that was used in European labor systems.
B. It allowed African slaves to exercise authority over indigenous American workers.
C. It reduced the demand for year-round agricultural laborers in most colonies.
D. It resulted in African slave labor becoming essential to colonial economies.

The plantation system in early European colonies in the Americas made African slave labor essential to colonial economies, displaced indigenous populations, introduced cash crops for export, and fostered racial and ethnic diversity.

Explanation:

The plantation system in early European colonies in the Americas had a significant impact by making African slave labor essential to colonial economies.

Plantation agriculture led to the displacement of indigenous populations, the introduction of cash crops for export, and a shift to a global trade focus, resulting in a demand for African slaves for labor.

This system brought about cultural exchanges, altered demographics, and established a foundation for racial and ethnic diversity in the Caribbean and the Americas.

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