THE SOUTH - THE THE SOUTH - THE WESTWEST

““In the decades following In the decades following Reconstruction, the South and Reconstruction, the South and the West became more tightly the West became more tightly linked to the economy of the linked to the economy of the

Northeast. Both regions supplied Northeast. Both regions supplied the agricultural goods and raw the agricultural goods and raw materials that fueled urban and materials that fueled urban and

industrial growth in the industrial growth in the northeastern and north central northeastern and north central

states. Tragically, both were also states. Tragically, both were also racially divided societies….”racially divided societies….”

The New SouthThe New South Self-sufficient southern economy Self-sufficient southern economy

built onbuilt on Modern capitalist valuesModern capitalist values Industrial growthIndustrial growth Improved transportationImproved transportation Incentives to locate in the SouthIncentives to locate in the South

Tax exemptions to businessesTax exemptions to businesses Cheap laborCheap labor

Signs of Southern Signs of Southern ProgressProgress

Birmingham, Alabama → steel center Birmingham, Alabama → steel center (“Pittsburgh of the South”)(“Pittsburgh of the South”)

Memphis, Tennessee → lumber industryMemphis, Tennessee → lumber industry Richmond, Virginia → tobacco industryRichmond, Virginia → tobacco industry Georgia, North Carolina, & South Carolina Georgia, North Carolina, & South Carolina

→ chief producers of textiles→ chief producers of textiles Railroads adopted standard gaugeRailroads adopted standard gauge Rate of growth was greater than or equal Rate of growth was greater than or equal

to all other regions in terms of population, to all other regions in terms of population, industry and railroadsindustry and railroads

And Yet…And Yet…

Remained the poorest region in the Remained the poorest region in the nationnation

Profits from railroads and steel mills Profits from railroads and steel mills went to northwent to north

Industrial workers in South earned half Industrial workers in South earned half of national average & worked longer of national average & worked longer hourshours

Most Southerners kept traditional roles Most Southerners kept traditional roles and were sharecroppers & farmersand were sharecroppers & farmers

Reasons for povertyReasons for poverty

Lagged behind in industrializationLagged behind in industrialization Poorly educated work forcePoorly educated work force Difficult to attract skilled labor and Difficult to attract skilled labor and

outside capitaloutside capital

“Under the campaign for a New South, all [industries] grew dramatically in employment and value, but not enough to end poverty or industrialize the region. The South remained largely rural, agricultural, and poor”

…TOO FAR BEHIND TO CATCH UP!

School Expenditures in School Expenditures in the Souththe South

“The slave went free, stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery.”

-- W.E.B Du Bois

Three People Dancing Around SunImage: © Images.com/CORBISCreator Name: Bob Commander

Remember…After the Remember…After the Civil War:Civil War:

•13th Amendment - gave 4.3 million slaves their freedom

What to do with the Freedmen?What to do with the Freedmen?

•14th Amendment - African Americans given citizenship

•15th Amendment - African American men given right to vote

Remember…After the Remember…After the Civil War:Civil War: What to do with the Freedmen?What to do with the Freedmen?

Freed Slaves Learn to Read, James E. Taylor, ca. November 17, 1866

Freedmen’s Bureau - Help former slaves succeed!

•Provided food, medical care, & education

Remember…Early Remember…Early Reconstruction:Reconstruction:

Who decides?Who decides?•President Johnson - welcomes South back

A caricature of President Andrew Johnson vetoing the Freedman's Bureau. He is kicking a dresser full of African American men down steps. Ca. 1829-1937.

•Radical Republicans - punish South and ensure equal rights

Who wins?

•Congress overturns Johnson’s vetoes and almost succeeds in impeachment!

Remember…Early Remember…Early Reconstruction:Reconstruction:

•High % of African Americans voted

African Americans get political African Americans get political powerpower

•High % of African Americans in local government

•Ex. African American Senators during this period (3) vs AA senators since (3)!

Woodcut Print of John Willis Menard in the House of Representatives

•Most white Southerners resented the new rights of African Americans

But ...But ...

•White Southerners chipped away at African Americans rights

•Poll Tax - had to pay to vote

African Americans Lose African Americans Lose Political PowerPolitical Power

•Literacy Test - Had to read to vote

•Results - African Americans lost their political power

•Grandfather Clause - Could get around 1st 2 if your grandfather could vote

Later Reconstruction:Later Reconstruction:

Later Reconstruction:Later Reconstruction:

•40 Acres & a Mule - After slavery, many African Americans thought they would get this

African Americans Lose African Americans Lose Economic PowerEconomic Power

•Sharecropping - Instead work on land owned by whites & share profits from crops

Reconstruction Ends:Reconstruction Ends:

•Compromise of 1877 Hayes gets Southern states to help him get elected.

•He withdraws federal troops (abandons southern blacks politically & economically)

Why does it end?Why does it end?

Rutherford B. Hayes - Rutherford B. Hayes served as the 19th President of the United States (1877-1881). Won the controversial election of 1876 by one electoral vote. Photographer: Merritt Date Photographed: 1897

Thinking Slide:Thinking Slide:

Think! Don’t Write!!Think! Don’t Write!!

Which do you think was a Which do you think was a more significant loss, more significant loss, political or economic political or economic power? Explain.power? Explain.

Jim Crow:Jim Crow:

•Segregation - beginning as customs, but ending up as laws

•Named after “Jim Crow” dance

What is it?What is it?

Jim Crow:Jim Crow: What was segregated?What was segregated?

•Schools, cemeteries, courts, hospitals, mental institutions, orphanages, prisons, & Bibles to swear on in trials

Segregated Drinking Fountains

Jim Crow:Jim Crow: Plessy vs. Ferguson:Plessy vs. Ferguson: 1896 Supreme 1896 Supreme

Court DecsionCourt Decsion•What? Homer Plessey tries to sit in a whites-only train car

•How did the Supreme Court Rule? Segregation is OK as long as the facilities are equal ; “separate but equal” does not violate Constitution

Jim Crow:Jim Crow: Problem: Separate But Equal is Problem: Separate But Equal is

NeverNever Equal Equal •Whites would never fund black schools equally

Jim Crow Violence:Jim Crow Violence: How else did Southern Whites enforce How else did Southern Whites enforce

Jim Crow?Jim Crow? •Ku Klux Klan - secret terrorist society that beat, raped, and murdered African Americans

Jim Crow Violence:Jim Crow Violence: How else did Southern Whites How else did Southern Whites

enforce Jim Crow?enforce Jim Crow? •Lynching - a mob puts someone to death without a trial •Between 1880-1968

nearly 5000 blacks were lynched

•Why?

• Cultural acceptance of Immoral behavior (racism)?

• Fear of economic competition?

Jim Crow Violence:Jim Crow Violence: How did African Americans How did African Americans

resist?resist? •Spoke out against discrimination

•Organized boycotts of segregated facilities

•Tried to improve segregated facilities

Segregated School

Jim Crow Violence:Jim Crow Violence: When did it end?When did it end?

•WWII jumpstarted the Civil Rights movement in the US

•1954 Brown vs Board of education declares segregation in schools illegal

•1964 Civil Rights Act

Man removes segregation sign 1956

Thinking Question:Thinking Question:

Was reconstruction a failure? Was reconstruction a failure? Explain.Explain.