The New South Outline

           the New South Outline

Economic Diversification 

After the Civil war The south could not keep up with the new advancements the North had made. The south could no longer rely on cotton, which was one of the major sources of income for southern states. Therefore the south had to figure out new methods such as leaning toward industrialization and  focusing on various crops not just one. 

1. Introduction of New Crops to the South:Tobacco was a crop that could grow and develop in southern soil. Tobacco opened up a new export market for southern production. Seaman A. knapp founded agriculture education and production. Agriculture education involved informing farmers on what kind of crops could flourish on there soil. This lead to cane sugar and rice being able to grow in Louisiana and be able to be identified in southern agriculture.
2. "Ruler of the South":Cotton was still a major source in the south and eventually as industrialization powered the increase of cotton mills became rapid. In the 19th century cotton consumption increased from 182,000 bales to 1,479,000 per year.
3. Transportation: The improvement of transportation allowed South to connect to the north by sending them threw refrigerated rail cars where southern produces would reach the northern markets. coal became important for transportation used to power trains which would export iron and limestone.

Political Changes

Local leaders Known as "Redeemers" became politically involved so the south would not lean to the North's ways or back to one crop society. as local leaders and philanthropists both agreed that education was important therefore many school for whites and some blacks where elaborated. peace was expanding in the south as southerns and the "bourbon" practiced tolerance.

1.  "Redeemers": Redeemers where known as "Bourbons" by the Republicans,Independents,and Populists. Bourbons were not proactive but reactive for example they wanted to go back to the old ways of the south and ignore the progress that was done by the civil war. there goals where to increase their political power and to repress black at white expense.
2. Education: Redeemers thought that education in the south where important but government did not fund public education in the south. Major contributors to establish public education in the south where philanthropist London Banker George Peabody supported education with his peabody fund. John F. Slater donated money for the establishment and the maintenance of black schools. The redeemers' influence led to teacher education and mechanical colleges, and even black colleges.
3. Relative Peace in the South: as Southerns began to take on different views several black politicians emerged as leaders.Redeemers preached racial superiority but practiced tolerance. the 1880s and 1890s black population became to coexist with white population.

Race Relations in the New South 

Whites and Blacks where at peace. but Blacks had several limitations and less benefits than whites. Blacks could not use or enter any white facilities this was example of "separate but equal". Black leaders become involved with blacks rights to fully become equal.

1. Obstacles for Blacks: slaves became indentured servants because many freed slaves didn't have anywhere to go and former masters where left without labor workers. masters where now landlords and labor was now known as sharecropping. The South couldn't get rid of the 15th amendment but found loopholes like the literacy test in order for blacks to not vote. 
2. Separate but equal: this became common as long as blacks had "equal" facilities which in fact black facilities where less taken care of then whites. In 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson a man refused to leave a whites only railroad car and got arrested for it this case went to highest court and caused a reaction in the south.
3. Men for equality:  Booker T. Washington-  said blacks should deal with segregation for now to later gain political equality. W.E.B Du Bois- became involved in movements for equality. although these men had different ways to attain equality they both wanted to eventually happen.