1. Lesson 1: Economics of the New South
Georgia Studies
Unit 6: The New South
Lesson 1: Economics of the New South
Study Presentation

2. Lesson 1: Economics of the New South
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
How did politics, public discourse, and social reaction lead to divisions in Georgia after Reconstruction?

3. The Bourbon Triumvirate
Democrats controlled Georgia’s government after Reconstruction.
Powerful Democratic leaders, known as the “Bourbon Triumvirate” were Joseph E. Brown, Alfred H. Colquitt, and John B. Gordon.
Their goals were:
expand Georgia’s economy and ties with industries in the North
Instituting low taxes
maintain the tradition of white supremacy
Dominated GA politics for 20 years… they rotated positions as governor & U.S. Senator from the 1870s to the 1890s. (See Teacher Notes at for more information about the 3 men)
They were interested in developing the RR and mining industries in GA
The wanted to keep the old antebellum planter class

4. The New South Era
Challengers to the Bourbon Triumvirate wanted Georgia to be more industrialized.
Henry Grady was a speaker and newspaper editor.
Grady described Georgia as a place which could have competitive industry and more efficient farming.
Grady envisioned improved race relations in a “New South” which left its antebellum past behind.
He was editor of the Atlanta Journal
Other accomplishments: brought ICE to ATL; creator of the GA Institute of Technology (GA Tech)
Only lived to be 39, but due to his achievements his legacy can be seen through Grady’s Hospital and the Grady School of Journalism
See Teacher Notes for the link to a video segment at

5. Business in Georgia
First International Cotton Exposition was held in Helped to show off the economic recovery of the South after Reconstruction. Other International Cotton Expositions were held in 1887 and 1895.
1895 International Cotton Exposition a.k.a. “Cotton States & International Exposition”
Only 800,000 visitors in 3 months
encouraged investments in southern businesses
Similar to the World’s Fair
1895 Expo is where Booker T. Washington gave his famous Atlanta Campaign speech which urged blacks to focus on economic improvements instead of political and social rights. He was supported by white “New South” advocates

6. STOP!
Compare & Contrast the International Cotton Exposition with the (1996) Olympic Games!

7. The People’s Party
Populists: Supporters of a political idea (populism) that supported the rights of the “common” people in their struggle with the wealthy people
Poor farmers and low wage workers were followers of Populists
Grange and Farmer’s Alliance worked to protect farmers’ rights – joined with unions to create People’s Party
Wanted “Australian ballot” – printed by the government, not local political parties, then collected and locked in ballot boxes
Tom Watson, famous Georgia populist, worked for Rural Free Delivery bill to deliver mail to rural areas for free
Watson was one of the most popular and controversial figures in GA history: He was a firm believer in helping both black and white farmers and later changed to a segregationist, but also hated Jews, Catholics, and immigrants

8. Rebecca Latimer Felton
Along with her husband, William, they worked to improve conditions for poor Georgians using newspapers to highlight problems in the state
Rebecca later served briefly as the first female U.S. Senator from Nov. 21, 1922 until the next day
“Independent Democrats” criticized the Bourbons for not attending to the needs of the poor or improve education and working conditions in factories
The convict lease system “rented” prisoners to companies to use as workers. It took many years for the poor conditions the prisoners endured to be brought to light and changed.
The seat she held was Tom Watson’s because he died before his term was up.

9. 1906 Atlanta Riot
Began as a result of racial tensions between white and black citizens of Atlanta
Large number of unemployed whites who viewed blacks as threats to jobs and the establishment of social order
Whites were jealous of successful black business leaders
Newspapers began to publish stories about African American men attacking white women.
Rioting began on September 22nd and lasted until September 24th. Military forces are eventually brought in to help end the riots.
Estimated deaths were between 25 and 40 people; hundreds of others wounded and large amounts of property were destroyed
Other causes included GA’s governor Hoke Smith who worked to concentrate political power in the rural counties instead of larger counties and cities (b/c more blacks lived in the urban counties); Smith was also a former publisher for the Atlanta Journal who in in 1906 along with Clark Howell (editor of the Atlanta Constitution) both ran for governor (Smith won) and used their influence in the media to try and take away voting rights for black citizens
Death estimate was unclear because the city coroner only issued 10 death certificates for black victims (most accounts agree that only 2 whites were killed, 1 of whom was a woman who had a heart attack after seeing the mob outside her house)
The morning of Sept. 22nd 4 articles were published about assaults on white women, so a group of unemployed white men and boys gathered in downtown ATL seeking revenge and attacked any black they saw
The newspaper articles were later proved untrue!
Alonzo Herndon was among those successful black business owners whose business was targeted by the white mob
The riot caused negative national and international attention for “the jewel of the New South”
Black & white business leaders came together (this in and of itself was historical!) which led to an even deeper segregation in the city and more of an economic divide between the black social elite and the lower class
This riot disproved Booker T. Washington’s views on economic accomplishments before social and political equality

10. The Trial of Leo Frank
1913: man accused of killing a 14-year-old employee, Mary Phagan in Atlanta
Mr. Frank was a Jewish man from New York
Little evidence against Mr. Frank, but he was convicted and sentenced to death
Governor Slaton changed death sentence to life imprisonment
Armed men, calling themselves the Knights of Mary Phagan, took Frank from the prison, and he was lynched
White supremacist Ku Klux Klan reborn from the members of the Knights of Mary Phagan
*Reach from Teacher Notes at regarding the story behind Leo Frank’s conviction (pg ) and use the link from the same article to show a video segment about the case
Some believe Tom Watson’s anti-sematic articles led to Frank’s lynching

11. The County Unit System
In 1917,the Neil Primary Act created the “county unit system”.
Plan designed to give small counties more power in state government so that the larger counties (which contained large numbers of black voters) would have less power
Smaller counties had more county unit “votes” even though they had fewer voters
People could be elected to office without getting a majority of votes
Declared unconstitutional in 1962
The state was predominantly Democrat
Candidates who won the primary were guaranteed to win the election under this system
Urban counties: 6 votes/ Towns: 4 votes/ Rural counties: 2 votes

12. Education in the New South Era
Funding to provide elementary education for all children in GA grew slowly from 1868 to 1895
Teachers were paid little more than farm hands and had little to no training. Normal schools were starting to train more teachers
The “school year” was only 3 months long which allowed children to work on farms or in factories
The state constitution of 1877 did not allow for school beyond 8th grade and segregated black and white students
The state was predominantly Democrat
Candidates who won the primary were guaranteed to win the election under this system
Urban counties: 6 votes/ Towns: 4 votes/ Rural counties: 2 votes

13. Agriculture in the New South Era
Crop prices declined through the 1870s
The Grange and the Farmers’ Alliance started out as social groups but began to reorganize to put pressure on lawmakers to find ways to help farmers. (populism)
GA created the first state to have a Department of Agriculture
Co-ops allowed farmers to work together to buy goods and equipment at a lower cost
The state was predominantly Democrat
Candidates who won the primary were guaranteed to win the election under this system
Urban counties: 6 votes/ Towns: 4 votes/ Rural counties: 2 votes