Political, Social &

Economic Changes

(1877 -1918)Day 3

Learning Targets• I can evaluate the impact of the

Bourbon Triumvirate, Henry Grady, International Cotton Exposition, Tom Watson and the Populists, Rebecca Latimer Felton, the 1906 Atlanta Riot, the Leo Frank Case, and the county unit system on Georgia during this period.

• I can analyze the denial of rights to African-Americans through

Jim Crow law, Plessy vs. Ferguson, disenfranchisement, and racial violence.

• I can explain the roles of Booker T. Washington, W. E. B. DuBois, John and Lugenia Burns Hope, and Alonzo Herndon.

Learning Targets Continued...

As big businesses continued to dominate America’s economy, a growing group of poor farmers and hourly wage workers demanded to be heard...

Populism• political idea

that supported the rights of the “common” people in their struggle with the wealthy people

Poor farmers and low wage workers were followers of

Populists

The People’s PartyThe People’s Party• Populist Party• Grange and Farmer’s Alliance joined with

unions to create People’s Party--8 Hour Workday--Graduated Income Tax--Restrictions on Immigration--Government Ownership of Railroads and Telephone and

Telegraph Services--”Free” or Unlimited Coinage of Silver into Dollars --Direct Election of US Senators--Reduction of Tariffs--Australian Ballots (printed by gov’t, distributed at voting

places, and collected there in sealed boxes so that the votes are kept secret)

Tom Watson• Georgia’s Best-Known Populist• Criminal Lawyer Known for His

“Down-to-Earth” Style of Defense.• Member of Georgia General

Assembly• Wealthy• Concerned about Georgia’s poor

and struggling farmers• Concerned about African American

Farmers• Elected to US House of

Representatives in 1890

Rural Free Delivery (RFD) Bill• Introduced by Tom

Watson• Required the US

Postmaster General to find a way to deliver mail to rural homes free of charge.

Georgia’s Georgia’s Progressive Era Progressive Era

GovernorsGovernors

Worked to concentrate political power in the rural counties instead of larger counties and cities– white supremacist – led passage of law

requiring land ownership before a person could vote – excluded many blacks

– better funding of public schools

– child labor laws passed

Hoke Smith

Son of Civil War Governor Joseph E. Brown

Defeated Hoke Smith Used the 1907

economic depression to blame Smith for Georgia’s problems.

Slogan: Hoke and Hunger: Brown and Bread

“Little Joe” Brown

NEGATIVE– He still believed in white

supremacy– Supported anti-black

laws– Under his leadership, the

Georgia General Assembly passed a constitutional amendment that said that a person had to own property and be able to read in order to vote.

– RESULT – Most African Americans and many poor whites were removed from voter rolls.

Hoke Smith Re-elected

POSITIVE– Railroad Commission–

responsible for the regulation of gas lines, electric power companies, and trolley cars.

– Public Schools – received better funding

– Child Labor Laws –changed

– Regulated lobbying groups and placed limits on campaign contributions

Smith-Lever Act

• Created Agricultural Extension Service to teach improved farming methods

Smith-Hughes Act• helped establish vocational schools for

youth

The County Unit SystemThe County Unit System• 1917: Neil Primary Act created

“county unit system” • Plan designed to give small

counties more power in state government

• Smaller counties had more county unit “votes” even though they had fewer voters

• People could be elected to office without getting a majority of votes

• Declared unconstitutional in 1962

8 Most Populous Counties (1920)

Fulton County 232,606

Chatham County 100,032

Bibb County 71,304

Richmond County 63,692

Muscogee County 44,195

Dekalb County 44,051

Floyd County 39,841

Laurens County 39,605

BB u u s s i i n n e e s s s s

• 800,000 visitors to Atlanta• Lasted 3 months (1895)• Visitors saw new machinery and learned how cotton was made into marketable products.• Showcased the economic recovery of the South (in which cotton played a large role)• Highlighted the region’s natural resources• Lured northern investors• Henry Grady was one of the principal planners

Cotton States and International Exposition

Rich’s• Opened in 1867• Owner = Morris Rich• Department Store• Featured Atlanta’s 1st Plate

Glass Store Windows• Became the “Place to Shop

in Georgia”• Took farmers’ produce in

payment for merchandise • Accepted teachers’ scrip

(paper money that is not legal currency)

Coca-Cola• Created by

druggist, John Pemberton• Named Coca-Cola

after its two main ingredients: coca plant and the kola nut

Alonzo Herndon• Former Slave from Social Circle• Barber and Entrepreneur• Founder and president of Atlanta

Life Insurance Company.• Worked with Booker T.

Washington and W. E. B. DuBois• At the time of his death in 1927,

he was also Atlanta’s wealthiest black citizen, owning more property than any other African American.