Lesson 28:
Sections 3 and 4
Reform Movements
Political Issues:
• Inequality is still a pressing issue.
• Jim Crow laws enforced segregation.
• Anglo Americans also worked to limit
African American political power.
• Anglo Americans used intimidation and
fear to prevent them from exercising their
rights.
Women in Texas
• Joined women’s associations to address
social problems and women’s rights.
• Temperance Movement: aimed at reducing or
stopping the drinking of alcohol.
• Suffrage Movement: gaining the right to vote
• More women began entering the work force
and attending university. The University of
Texas was among the first schools to begin
coeducation.
Railroads:
• Before 1900, most families traveled by
wagon and buggies.
• Texas encouraged the building of railroads
across the state by providing land grants to
railroad companies.
• The Land Grant Law of 1876 authorized 16
sections (10, 240 acres) of land for every
mile of track the railroad company laid.
Railroads:
• During this construction period, the state
of Texas gave away more than 32 million
acres.
• By 1900 a network of railroads totaling
some 10,000 miles spread over Texas.
• Journeys that had taken days or weeks
now took hours
• Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth
developed rapidly because they were
railroad centers.
New Industry Grows:
• 1868 - meat-packing industry began in the
city of Victoria, due to the development of
the refrigerated railcars.
• 1900 – Lumbering was the most important
and valuable industry in the state.
• Timber companies harvested the timber of
East Texas. Orange and Beaumont became
major sawmill centers.
• Houston was mostly built
by a lumber company owner.
Monopolies Use Unfair Tactics:
•
In the late 1800s, large companies that operated
in Texas joined together and formed trusts
These trusts:
•
helped to prevent other companies
from selling the same product or service reduced
or eliminated competition and free trade
• Could hold a monopoly on a business, which
allowed them to pay low prices for materials they
bought and charge high prices for the goods they
sold = huge profits
Farmers Become Trapped by Debt:
• Cotton prices fell during 1875, and
remained low through 1900
• Over production of cotton continued this
cycle of debt.
• They also claim that railroads charged
higher prices to farmers who had no
choice than to use the local railroad to
ship their goods.
Texans Call for Reforms – The Grange and
Farmer’s Alliance:
• Formal name of the Grange = Patrons of
Husbandry_.
The Grange:
• organization that called for
economic changes
• set up stores where members could buy
supplies cheaper
• pressured state legislature to deal with
unfair shipping rates charged by railroads
Farmer’s Alliance:
• Similar to the Grange, but larger and
more involved in politics.
• Backed and voted for political candidates
that supported their views.
• At its peak, the Farmer’s Alliance had
nearly 3 million members.
• They included women, but denied
membership to African Americans.
Populist Party:
• Officially known as the
People’s Party.
• Political party created by
the Farmer’s Alliance to
address the issues
of rural Americans.
• Called for regulation of
transportation,
particularly railroads, and
a more stable economy
based on silver.
New Laws Prohibits Trusts:
• 1889 - TX legislature passed antitrust laws
stopping companies from joining together
to fix prices or limit production.
• Main reason for antitrust laws – business
practice by railroads.
• The law often has been used to prevent
unfair practices.
Governor Hogg Regulates the
Railroads:
•
•
•
In 1891, the legislature created the
Texas Railroad Commission, a state
agency to regulate railroads
operating in Texas.
Many railroads ceased unfair practices,
such as fixing prices and charging
more for short hauls than for long
hauls.
The Railroad Commission has been
expanded to regulate other industries,
particularly the oil industry.
Amendments:
18th Amendment: Prohibition Amendment
This amendment banned the production,
consumption and sale of alcohol.
19th Amendment: Suffrage Amendment
This amendment gave women the right
vote in any election
–
21st Amendment: Repealed the 18th amendment
– This amendment allowed people to produce,
consume and sale alcohol again.