1. The New South
American History

2. Goals Students will be able to: Terms to know:
Determine how new industry, technology, and business changed the economy
Identify the characteristics that define and differentiate region
Terms to know:
Cash crop, Farmers’ Alliance, Civil Rights Act of 1875

3. Industry
In the 1880’s industrial infrastructure began to develop in the South
Northern investment helped spur the creation of textile factories, cigar and lumber production, and coal, iron and steel processing in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Alabama
The south also tried to became less reliant on cotton
Grain, tobacco, and fruit crops became much more prevalent
Southern railroads expanded to allow for easier trade
Southerners lobbied the Federal government for economic help and prison labor to help build the railroads

4. Lagging Behind
Despite changes in the southern economy, they lagged behind the rest of the country
The south lacked a large labor pool and investment
The south was also hurt by a poor public education system, a lack of trade schools that taught technical skills needed in industry and paid low wages which discouraged skilled workers from moving to the south

5. Cotton
Even with an attempt to diversify their crops, southern fields still relied heavily on cotton
Cotton was a cash crop that allowed farmers to make a lot of money by selling cotton to the textile industry
Unfortunately for the South, the North had found other Cotton suppliers during the war, and with an increased supply of cotton, prices fell
This put many Southern planters out of business
Reliance on cotton was also risky because of the boil weevil
The boil weevil could kill an entire crop of cotton, ruining a farmers ability to survive

6. Farmers Alliance
The Farmers’ Alliance was created in the 1870’s to help farmers connect in both the South and the West
This alliance lobbied the government to force railroads to lower freight prices and to regulate the banks, forcing them to lower interest rates on loans
How would these things have helped farmers?

7. Racial Tension
New Citizenship rights allowed for former slaves to take on new roles throughout the South
Some African American farmers were asked to join the Farmers’ Alliance
Many African Americans took full advantage of their new found access to education
Unfortunately with groups like the KKK terror and violence scared many African Americans from participating in their communities
Laws were also created in the south to segregate society and get rid of black government officals
Congress Enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1875 which guaranteed black patrons the right to ride trains and use public facilities
These laws, however, were ruled largely unconstitutional and states were afforded the right to determine who could us public accommodations