Redemption

How difficult was Reconstruction for the white Southerner?

Reconstruction empowered the elite not the poor and brought in merchant
capitalists to the South.
Merchant capitalists sold goods the South needed, brought money to the region
when it had none.

Majority of Southerners (Black & White) did not have money. Why did poor white
Southerners turn on blacks? The answer was competition. Poor whites during
slavery were looked upon lower than slaves. Slaves had a value that poor whites did
not have. Psychology and social, now former slaves were equal to poor whites. Poor
white men wanted to be rich white men, which caused a problem for blacks.

Poor whites became angry at blacks. Poor whites wanted hegemonic
(domination/control over) black society in the South.
Rich white men created the Klan but it was the poor whites that did the dirty work
for the Klan. For more information on this topic, read this document Rise of the Klan
& The Knights of the White Camellia

Why Did The South Remain Behind the North?

North became Industrial
South Stayed rural and agricultural
Westward expansion. Killing of the Indians and metal expeditions
Poor whites and blacks were left behind
Radical Republicans abandoned blacks.
In the 1880s and 1890s most people drank alcohol because the water/sewage
system in America were substandard.





Aftermath of Reconstruction

Poor whites and blacks were left out
Germans and other cmtys (Socialists) isolated
themselves from other Americans.

Jefferson- agrarian movement
White Southerners liked this
Voting was deterred towards blacks
Grandfather clause. If your grandfather could vote
then you could vote. This was problematic because
some blacks could pass for white.

1870-1880 antimisagenation laws due to the
mixing of the races through sex between blacks and whites. Nadir (worsening of
race relations in the South). Puts up artificial barriers in the South.

3 reasons why people do not get
along (fear, family,), only marginal
differences between people.

French cooking closer/similar to
black cooking. Southern culture
wanted to be monolithic (agrarian
and white dominated)


Industrialization

Railroad -1
st
industry to hit the South.
RR brought along steel and lumber industry
Brought an opportunity for whites and blacks to escape abject poverty.
Industrialization brought along new jobs for blacks (cobblers, maids, waiters, etc.).
As folks began to work in industry, mercantile markets began to rise (Montgomery
Wards & Sears Catalog).

Periods of Industrial Growth in the South

What Must You Have To Be Successful

Commodity
Capital
Favorable laws by government
Malleable labor
Natural resources (ore, coal and lumber)
Competition


Railroads & Merchant Capitalist

Entrepreneur Capitalists

Started during the Civil War
As industry grows, capitalists became
industrial capitalist
Labor/ Industry relations became strained.
Fighting occurs capitalists want labor
wages to remain low. Workers wanted
wages to increase to keep up for inflation.