In what respect was it new, in what respect was it Old south.
The term " New South- is a Republican vision used to describe the South region during and after the Reconstruction period (1865-77). There were several characteristics in the South, which made it new or different:.
Blacks were now a free society.
Leaders pushed for a vigorous industrial economy where they increased textile industry e.g. places like New England (9 fold in the last 20 years of the 19th century) where previously cotton was exported out of the South.
Iron industry developed to an extent where approximately 1/5 of the nation's total were in places such as Alabama.
Railroads development, Brinkley stated, " Railroad increased at a rate faster than the nation at large."" NB, in 1886, the gauge, or width of the tracks was changed in the south to meet North standards.
The south also saw an increase in the industrial workforce particularly the women.
Blacks were able to elevate themselves into higher class of the society (middle).
Blacks also established education systems, which they felt was essential for their future. E.g. the Tuskegee Institute founder by Booker T Washington.
Nevertheless, although the South was characterised as new there were several characteristics, which predominantly proved that the South still had old features.
The south was still under the control of a ruling class who was the class before the civil war i.e. the white or planter elite; these people were known as the Redeemer or the Bourbons. (Interestingly this class were industrialist, railroad developer and financiers which were absent in the antellebum period or before the Civil War-North).
Most of the profits made by the textile and the railroad and iron industry were sent to the North.
The South still not accepted the blacks (racialism) e.g. in most of the industries they made no employment opportunities for the black-(African-American).
The Great Plains in the West had a different type of soil; this meant the move West also created new technology. ... This fueled the American economy during a crucial reconstruction period. ... Many southern freedmen moved west during the reconstruction period to start fresh. ... The West offered freedmen a new lifestyle unbounded by oppression. ... This supports my view of the reconstruction era. ...
Reconstruction was needed for this country to come back together after the Civil War. ... Settling The West As Americans made their way to the west they used what was called the Oregon Trail. It took 6 months to travel from the east coast to the west coast. ... Many American headed west in order to mine for gold. As they made their way to he west coast they often trampled many Native American territories. ...
Reconstruction Our history has been a bitter one dominated by colonialism, racism, apartheid, sexism and repressive labor policies. ... My theory, the real reason that the war was fought was about expansion West and not about slavery. ... They were industrial and wanted to expand their industries west while the South wanted to expand agriculturally using slaves as their laborers. ... Once the North reached their goal of stopping the South from expanding slavery west and bringing the South back into the states, they had no need for African-Americans. ... There were various plans for Reconstru...
Two main racist influences combined in the late nineteenth century to destroy Reconstruction. ... Radical Reconstruction only built upon this fear, and according to many historians the fear soon led to the emergence of a new form of absolute racism under the guise of the Reconstruction era Democratic Party. ... With a man like Johnson in White House, Reconstruction was destined to fail. ... Whites felt threatened by Reconstruction because it attempted to equalize them with Blacks. ... All of the evidence is telling, racism was the main cause of the failure of Reconstruction. ...
Two main racist influences combined in the late nineteenth century to destroy Reconstruction. ... Neo-revisionists go so far as to suggest that president Johnson's racist beliefs were directly responsible for the downfall of Reconstruction.10 Although Reconstruction did not actually end during Johnson's term as president, the actions he took during his time in office inhibited the growth, development, and secure establishment of Reconstruction programs in the South. ... With a man like Johnson in White House, Reconstruction was destined to fail. ... Proponents of the Dunning school o...
The Northeast influenced the South mostly during Reconstruction, and the West during expansion. ... The economy during the period of Reconstruction in the South was on a rapid decline. ... The North backs away from Reconstruction around 1870, when Northerners wanted to focus more on the North and West instead of the South. ... While this ended Reconstruction, it didn't end the struggle for the freedmen in the South. ... To expand land in the West, Congress proposed the Homestead Act. ...
Thaddeus Stevens, for example, a key member among radical Republicans in congress during the Civil War and Reconstruction, proposed a much more severe Reconstruction plan which called to balance the wealth between former slaves and former plantation owners in the South. ... Stevens also advocated his Reconstruction plan in his speech, which he believed that the former lands of plantation owners should be divided and sold to the newly freed-men in order to achieve the real purpose of Reconstruction. ... The influence they inherited from the Civil War continued to serve them well politically...
Reconstrucion: In the post-Reconstruction era the American people had a drive, more so than ever, to expand westward to what was called the frontier. ... Although the railroads were a main reason in settlement of the west, there was some aid. ...
Many historians have come to the conclusion that the period of Reconstruction, between 1860 and 1877 was a revolutionary time in our nation's history. ... One of the key goals of Lincoln's original Reconstruction plan was to rebuild the South. ... The issue of rebuilding the South was taken up by three different groups, each with their own opinions and agendas for Reconstruction. ... Most of the key Reconstruction-era legislature, such as the 14th and 15th Amendments, was passed by Radical Republicans in Congress. ... During Reconstruction, the question of who would control the re-in...
