OUR STATE and OUR NATION UNIT G eorgia Studies 6 GEORGIA EVENTS EVENTS ELSEWHERE Georgia Enters the 1876 1876 Second Centennial of Georgia United States Centennial Century of Statehood Statehood 1877 1877 Constitution of 1877 adopted Thomas A. Edison invents phonograph 1876 - 1917 1879 CHAPTER 15 Edison invents electric light Political and Social Change in the New South 1886 1886 Redeemers Gain Control Coca-Cola Statue of Liberty dedicated developed in Atlanta The Progressive Movement 1889 1889 CHAPTER 16 New state capitol North and South Dakota, Life of the People in a building opens Montana, and Washington Changing Society admitted into the Union Industrializing Georgia 1890 1890 Agriculture Tom Watson elected Idaho and Wyoming admitted Growth of Towns and Cities to Congress into the Union Strains on Georgia Society 1891 1891 Education and Leisure in Georgia General Assembly passes Populist Party formed first “Jim Crow” laws 1895 1895 Cotton States and Babe Ruth born International Exposition held in Atlanta 1896 Supreme Court upholds “separate but equal” doctrine; rural free delivery begins 1898 1898 Democratic party begins Spanish-American War; holding primary elections United States annexes Hawaii 1900 First white primary elections held 1903 Wright brothers’ first successful flight 1905 W.E.B. DuBois organizes Niagara Movement 1906 1906 Atlanta race riot; Georgia’s San Francisco earthquake first child labor law 1907 Alcohol prohibition begins 1908 1908 Literacy test required for Henry Ford introduces voters; “grandfather Model T clause” adopted 1910 1910 State regulation of NAACP established automobiles begins 1912 1912 Girl Scouts first meet Arizona and New Mexico in Savannah admitted into the Union 1913 1913 Leo Frank trial Sixteenth Amendment (federal income tax) adopted 1914 1914 Carl Vinson elected to U.S. World War I begins in Europe; House of Representatives Panama Canal opens 1915 1915 Leo Frank lynched; KKK First long-distance reborn at Stone Mountain telephone call, New York to San Francisco 1916 1916 First compulsory school Federal-Aid Road Act passed attendance law; state highway by Congress department created Chapter Outline Chapter 15 Redeemers Gain Control Constitution of 1877 Foreword Bourbon Redeemers Challenges to the Democratic Party The Progressive Movement Disfranchisement Preventing Social Equality Georgia Standards of Excellence Social Reform Correlations SS8H7 SS8H7 Evaluate key political, social, and economic changes that occurred in Georgia during the New South Era. a. Identify the ways individuals, groups, and events attempted to shape the New South; include the Bourbon Triumvirate, Henry Grady, International Cotton Expositions, and Tom Watson and the Populists. b. Analyze how rights were denied to African Americans or Blacks through Jim Crow laws, Plessy v. Ferguson, disenfranchisement, and racial violence, including the 1906 Atlanta Riot. SS8E2 Evaluate the influence of Georgia-based businesses on the State’s economic growth and development. c. Evaluate the economic impact of various industries in Georgia including agricultural, entertainment, manufacturing, service, and technology. UNIT 6 • GEORGIA ENTERS THE SECOND CENTURY OF STATEHOOD AT FIRST GLANCE This chapter covers the political efforts to “redeem” the state from the effects of Republican rule. One of the leading redeemers, Henry Grady, is featured as a Georgian in History. Political challenges to the redeemers led by William and Rebecca Felton and by Tom Watson under the Populist banner are covered, along with the story of how Georgia got a new capitol building. There is a discussion of the Progressive movement and its efforts to systematically preserve white supremacy while promoting social reform. Primary sources on child labor, prisons and chain gangs, prohibition, and voting rights for women are included. Political and A common scene on Saturday in the fall was wagons full of bales of cotton. Social Change in the New South CHAPTER 15 Redeemers Gain Control The Progressive Movement In many ways, 1876 was a notable year. It was the 100th anniversary of the nation and of Georgia’s statehood. In the West, Colorado joined the Union as the 38th state. In Montana, General George Armstrong Custer and his entire force of 265 cavalry soldiers were killed by Sioux Indians at the Battle of Little Big Horn. Back east, Alexander Graham Bell obtained a patent for a new invention,the telephone. This nation’s centennial year also witnessed one of the most controversial presidential elections in American history. Samuel Tilden, a Democrat from New York, won the popular vote against an Ohio Republican, Rutherford B. Hayes. But, by one vote, Tilden failed to win a majority of the electoral votes. By law, Congress then had to determine the winner. Southern Democrats in Congress made a deal. If Hayes would promise to pull out all federal troops remaining in the South, thus ending Reconstruction, they would vote for the Republican. 372 CHAPTER 15 • POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN THE NEW SOUTH Redeemers Gain Control pressure, Georgia’s black citizens no Robert Toombs, a Georgia Transcript longer turned out in great numbers to slaveholder and national public support Republican candidates. Across the officer holder, initially defended state, the number of black officeholders the Union and fought for its dropped dramatically. Of the 32 blacks preservation. Later when his elected to the General Assembly in 1868, political views changed he held only 4 returned four years later. office as the secretary of state and fought for the Confederacy. At war’s After Reconstruction, Georgia Democrats end he avoided arrest by fleeing continued their efforts to “redeem,” that abroad. Upon return, he never is, to win back, their state from Republican requested a pardon and therefore influence. Known as Redeemers, the did not regain his American Democrats worked to undo the changes citizenship. He was known imposed during Reconstruction. This thereafter as the “unreconstructed meant restoring Democrats to public office rebel.” and making clear that control of society should be in the hands of the white race, an idea known as white supremacy1 . Four years earlier, in 1872, Democrats had regained Georgia’s governorship. CONSTITUTION OF 1877 The Republican party in the state was Although the federal troops were gone rapidly losing strength as a political force. and most Republicans removed from Because of threats and other forms of office, Georgia still had one holdover 373 CHAPTER 15 • POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN THE NEW SOUTH from Reconstruction—the Constitution of 1868. Many Democrats considered it a BOURBON REDEEMERS document written by the enemy. Robert Toombs, known as the “unreconstructed Many of the new constitution’s supporters rebel,” began a campaign to replace it. wanted Georgia to return to the cotton- based economy of antebellum days. Union Station around 1900. The In 1877, the General Assembly called Another Redeemer faction, however, soon railroad was an important key to the for a convention to rewrite Georgia’s gained the upper hand. These Democrats growth of Atlanta. 1868 constitution. Toombs quickly took believed that the South’s prosperity charge of the proceedings. He reminded members of the large state debt and other abuses that occurred during Reconstruction. Now, he argued, was the time to weaken state government and limit its role in economic development. The resulting Constitution of 1877 was the most restrictive constitution in Georgia history. This new document made it almost impossible for state government to borrow money. Tax money could be spent only for purposes spelled out in the constitution— and these were few. Terms of office for the governor and state senators were reduced from four years to two. 374 CHAPTER 15 • POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN THE NEW SOUTH LOCATING the M A I N IDEAS depended on manufacturing and other Confederate generals John B. Gordon and 1 Define: white supremacy, industry, not cotton. Often referred to Alfred E. Colquitt, and ex-governor Joseph diversify as Bourbons*, they wanted the state to E. Brown. They were referred to as the 2 Identify: Redeemers, become more self-sufficient. This meant Bourbon Triumvirate. A strong supporter Robert Toombs, Bourbon attracting investors from the North to was Atlanta Constitution editor Henry Triumvirate build mills and factories in Georgia. It also Grady, who frequently wrote praises of an meant farmers needed to diversify2 (give industrialized South. ■ 3 The Democratic party had variety to) their crops. They could do this two Redeemer factions. by growing less cotton and more of the What was the aim of each? foods and grains usually purchased from other parts of the country. Diversifying CHALLENGES TO THE agriculture would allow Georgians to DEMOCRATIC PARTY buy from Georgians. It would keep badly From 1865 to 1900, the nation suffered needed capital from leaving the state. from a depressed economy. During the The Bourbon call for a New South referred 1870s, the slowdown was particularly to modernizing the economy. It was not bad in the South. Georgia Democrats in a proposal for social or political change. public office feared voters might hold them White supremacy, one-party politics, responsible for the hard times. low taxes, and a limited role for state Bourbon Democrats in Georgia and government were still at the heart of the other southern states looked for ways to Bourbon program. strengthen their support among white Recognized as the three political leaders voters. One strategy was to ignite white in the New South movement were ex- fears of “black rule” and social equality. Without a unified Democratic party, * Bourbons - The name “Bourbon” referred to an old French ruling family that returned to power after the French Revolution. During Reconstruction, Radical Republicans gave this title to southern Democrats, who appeared to want to return to the days of old. In reality, Bourbon Democrats came to oppose many aspects of Georgia’s antebellum economy. 375 CHAPTER 15 • POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN THE NEW SOUTH whites were warned, the balance of Independent Democrat, Dr.