Which statement about slavery in the United States is true? A. Poor southern whites who couldn't pay their debts were also sold into slavery. B. The United States was the first country in the world to enslave people for labor. C. Slavery contradicted the ideals of freedom on which the nation was founded. D. Most slaves were happy to have their masters make all their decisions for them.

C. Slavery contradicted the ideals of freedom on which the nation was founded.

 The concept of slavery in the United States is a complex and painful part of American history. Slavery in the U.S. was characterized by the forced labor and legal ownership of human beings, primarily of African descent, from the early colonial period until it was abolished after the Civil War by the 13th Amendment in 1865. This practice was in direct contradiction to the ideals stated in foundational American documents like the Declaration of Independence, which proclaimed that "all men are created equal" and that they are endowed with certain unalienable Rights, among these are "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Regarding the other statements: A is false because, although poor Southern whites were often in a state of severe economic distress and may have been indentured servants if they couldn't pay their debts, they were not sold into chattel slavery like Africans and African Americans. B is false because the enslavement of people for labor predates the founding of the United States and was practiced by many civilizations for thousands of years. D is false and a misleading statement because the overwhelming majority of slaves did not enjoy their lack of freedom, and historical records show that many resisted their enslavement in various ways, including uprisings, work slow-downs, and attempts to escape to freedom.