Download
1 / 12
120 likes | 211 Views
After Reconstruction. Standard 5.1. Changes in agriculture. Landowners had sharecroppers plant cotton seed. Increasing cotton production led to the growth of the textile industry which provided jobs and boosted the economy.
E N D
After Reconstruction Standard 5.1
Changes in agriculture • Landowners had sharecroppers plant cotton seed. • Increasing cotton production led to the growth of the textile industry which provided jobs and boosted the economy. • Mills were located along fall line rivers where they could use the swift flowing water for hydroelectric power to run the machines. • Towns were built near mills to provide housing, social activities, and goods needed for the textile workers.
Ups and downs for cotton: • Down – Many farmers were growing cotton, so there was a high supply, which means the price is low. Farmers weren’t making as much off cotton as before. • Up – World War I brought in a need for cotton which helped make uniforms, blankets, bandages, etc. • Down – Once the war ended, the demand was low again. • Down – In the 1920s, mills were hit hard because they could not get high prices for their products and workers wanted an increase in pay. • Down – synthetic fibers (man made fibers) were developed which replaced the need for cotton.
Ups and downs continued • Down – Great Depression hurt the cotton farmers and the textile mills. • Up – During World War II, there was an increased demand for cotton and once again cotton farmers and textile mills were working. • Down – Once the war ended, the demand went down.
Effects of growing cotton • Continuous growth of cotton caused the soil to be depleted of nutrients. • Some of these farmers moved to mill towns to get work at mills. • Some farmers began to grow other crops such as peaches and tobacco. • Today, tobacco, peaches, pine trees, and soybeans are SC’s top cash crops.
Jim Crow laws • After Reconstruction, there were lots of problems between whites and blacks. • Segregation and discrimination were accepted everywhere in the south. • South Carolina legislature passed laws called Jim Crow laws to provide a legal way to segregate African Americans. • These laws would not allow African Americans to ride in the same railroad cars as whites, use the same restrooms or water fountains, or eat in the same area in restaurants. • Every aspect of life was separated.
Jim Crow continued • Racial discrimination was now written into the state law and could be enforced by the state government. • Because they were denied the right to vote, African Americans had no representation in government and could not protect their rights. • The Supreme Court ruled that “separate but equal” was constitutional, so the national government would not get involved. • Conditions were not equal, though. African Americans were not hired as workers in mills. They were hired to load and unload bales of cotton and finished cloth outside of the mill.
Voting laws • Voting laws were passed to prevent African Americans from voting. • African Americans were made to pass a reading and writing test. Even if they could read, the examiner would deem them as illiterate and they would not be allowed to vote. • Voters were told to pay a poll tax. • The grandfather clause was a law that said if your grandfather voted, you could vote. Of course most African Americans grandfathers were slaves, so they obviously never voted. South Carolina never adopted the grandfather clause, but it was used in other states.
Railroads • Growth of the railroad improved the movement of goods and people. • Textile mills used railroads to ship their goods to other places. • Towns grew up around railroad lines.
Technological inventions • Telephones, electricity, and automobiles were developed around this time. • These had limited impact on South Carolinians because most lived in rural areas. • People who lived in more populated areas were able to take advantage of these technological advances. • Paved roads made it more easy for automobiles to get around.
