Changes in the South CHAPTER 11, SECTION 1

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  Gains:  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

Segregation and Social Tensions CHAPTER 12, SECTION 1

African Americans Lose Freedoms  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  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.

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.

Gains for Women  Women did make successes in the years following the Civil War.  Women started by improving their education and becoming more organized in their efforts.  They formed groups such as the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the National Woman Suffrage Association.  Their biggest goal, suffrage, was still unattainable, though.

Political and Economic Challenges CHAPTER 12, SECTION 2

Corruption Plagues National Politics  The presidencies of Hayes, Harrison, Garfield and Arthur were plagued by corruption, so distrust in government continued to grow.  Once again, the spoils system was a problem.  These slights in government were showcased to the public by political cartoonists such as Joseph Keppler and Thomas Nast.  Nast targeted NYC politician William ‘Boss’ Tweed to expose his illegal activities.

Corruption Plagues National Politics  The disdain for political corruption pushed many officials to support civil service reform, focusing on the federal jobs within the executive branch.  Reform began when Chester Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Act in  This act set up a commission to write a civil service exam.  Individuals who wanted to work for the government had to take the exam.  Jobs were then given on one’s performance on the exam.

Corruption Plagues National Politics  While Democrats and Republicans disagreed over the tariff issue (whether they should be high or low), independent parties gained support over their dislike for the gold standard.  Gold standard= gold is used as the basis for the nation’s currency.  The Coinage Act of 1873 stopped the acceptance of silver as value for coins.  Those that supported the use of silver for money (known as bi-metalism) hoped to cause inflation so prices would rise and increase their incomes.  These were generally farmers.

Farmers and Populism CHAPTER 12, SECTION 3

Farmers Face Problems  Farmers were hurt by the following:  High railroad rates for the transport of their crops;  Low crop prices at market;  High interest rates charged by banks.  Farmers blamed big businesses for the hardships they faced.

The Populist Party Grows  As different Farmer’s Alliances from across the country joined together, they formed one large political party known as the Populist Party.  Goals of the Populist Party:  End political corruption  Increase the money supply (bi-metalism)  Government ownership of railroads  In the 1896 election, the Populists supported William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic candidate.

The Election of 1896  The Republicans chose William McKinley as their candidate.  McKinley was supported by the big business leaders and raised 30x the amount of funding as Bryan.  While Bryan toured the nation gaining support, McKinley let others do the campaigning for him.  The Republicans cast Bryan and the Populists as a threat to the U.S.

Answer the questions regarding this political cartoon on your notes paper.

Ticket-Out-the-Door What role did corruption and greed play in the politics of the Gilded Age?