Politics and Economics in the New South

Industries in the South After the Civil War, instead of shipping goods to the North for manufacturing, northern capital backed southern production of goods. Farming also became diversified with additional crops such as grain, tobacco and fruits. In order to transport goods from the South, railways were added and built by prison labor to keep costs down. However, the South’s economy was still hampered by a lack of workers and a lack of capital following the Civil War.

Southern Farmers Face Hard Times Even with the introduction of new crops, cotton still remained the dominant cash crop of the South. After the war, a combination of lack of buyers and a boll weevil infestation severely hurt farmers’ profits. To combat the loss of profits, farmers began lobbying for lower prices on supplies. The local organizations of farmers gathered together to form the Farmer’s Alliance. They lobbied the government to lower freight prices from railroads and the interest rates charged by banks.

Black Southerners Face Gains and Losses Able to vote in elections and serve in the military; Open businesses Buy farmland ACCESS TO EDUCATION Losses: Restrictions locally re: access to public accommodation Faced intimidation and violence

African American Political Gains During Reconstruction, there was a growth of the Republican Party in the South. Why? African Americans joined the party that freed them– Republican. African Americans were able to hold offices, and Hiram Revels became the first African American senator in 1870. Many white southerners had not yet taken the loyalty oath, so often times African Americans represented the majority of voters in a state.

Continued Discrimination State governments limited the voting rights of African Americans in the ways: Poll tax required voters to pay a tax Literacy tests required voters to take a test of “understanding” before voting Grandfather clause individuals could vote if their grandfathers could vote prior to 1866. This year was chosen because it was prior to the passage of the 14th and 15th amendments. Jim Crow laws also kept whites and blacks segregated. In 1896, the court case Plessy v. Ferguson maintained the constitutionality of these Jim Crow laws, establishing the “separate but equal” doctrine.

Use of Violence Southern whites, including the Redeemers, wanted to regain political standing in Congress. These were conservative, pro-business Democrats who wanted to grow (i.e. ‘redeem’) their numbers. This led to increased violence, intimidation and legal ploys by these groups. White Democrats were angry that Republicans were dominating local politics (due to the surge in African- American membership). Groups such as the Ku Klux Klan started in Tennessee in 1866. They used scare tactics to intimidate African Americans.

Working Against Mistreatment African Americans disagreed on how best to secure and maintain their new freedoms. Booker T. Washington build economic resources and establish a reputation. Encouraged blacks to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps.” W.E.B. Du Bois wanted blacks to demand full and immediate equality. Ida B. Wells focused on eliminating lynching and raising awareness of the issue outside of the South.