The Myth of the
New South
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Henry W. Grady and the New South
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Prophet of the New South Ideology
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Belief that the south should promote democratic government, robust
education, and a diversified economy
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Cotton Industry
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1880-1900 = Cotten Mills went from 161 to 400
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South had more mills then north
Tobacco Production
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Washington Duke
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James Buchanan “Buck” Duke and American Tobacco Company
Coal Production
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1875 = 5 Million Tons - 1900 = 49 million Tons produced
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Share Copping and Tenet Farming
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Majority of Souths Economy = Demonstrated lack of
diversification
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Share Cropping - land owner pays costs land
worker provides labor, both parties split farm
yield
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Tenet Farming - Land worker provides costs and
labor, land owner received portion of farm yield
Crop-Lien System
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Land workers borrowed money from land owners
and merchants to start farms - farmers promised
portion of future crops
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Deflation of Crop prices meant that workers
would not be able to pay off debts
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Perpetuated cycle of poverty which
resembled slavery
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Land owners increased wealth,
workers remained poor
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Impacted both poor white
and African American
farmers
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South remained poorest
region of the US
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Redeemers or Bourbons
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Redeemers = Great men who defended the south from
northern occupation and led the south after
Reconstruction
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or
Bourbons = Southern elites who ruled the south after
Reconstruction and perpetrated a society which
reflected the Antebellum South
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Social Class made up of land owners, merchants,
lawyers, and entrepreneurs
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Established society based on white supremacy
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Prevented the New South dream from becoming reality