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Difficulty: EasyRacial Terror and the Anti-Lynching Movement

Read the following excerpt from Ida B. Wells's 1892 pamphlet Southern Horrors:

"To many minds the conviction is growing that the white people of the South who lynch, drown, and burn Negroes... are not so much concerned about protecting their women as they are about keeping the Negro down and preventing him from becoming a successful business competitor."

According to this excerpt, which of the following best describes the primary motivation for racial terror in the South?

  1. To eliminate Black economic competition and preserve white supremacyAnswer
  2. B
    To defend white women and families from physical harm
  3. C
    To enforce laws against criminal behavior when the local legal system failed
  4. D
    To encourage African Americans to migrate to other regions of the country

Answer

The primary motivation for racial terror in the South was to eliminate Black economic competition and preserve white supremacy.
The correct answer is correct because the excerpt explicitly identifies 'keeping the Negro down' (preserving white supremacy) and preventing them from becoming 'successful business competitor[s]' (eliminating economic competition) as the true concerns of the perpetrators of racial violence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the text for the stated motivations of those who carry out lynchings.
The author contrasts the public excuse ('protecting their women') with the actual underlying concern ('keeping the Negro down' and preventing 'successful business' competition).
This step distinguishes between the false justification and the real motivation identified by Ida B. Wells.
2
Translate the author's terms into broader historical concepts.
'Keeping the Negro down' corresponds to maintaining white supremacy, and preventing 'successful business competitor[s]' corresponds to suppressing Black economic competition.
This step connects the specific language of the primary source to key historical themes tested on the exam.
3
Compare these findings with the provided options to select the correct choice.
The choice stating that the motivation was to eliminate Black economic competition and preserve white supremacy aligns perfectly with the text.
This step confirms the correct option based on the analysis of the stimulus.

Key Concept

Identifying the economic and social motivations behind racial terror as analyzed by anti-lynching reformers like Ida B. Wells-Barnett.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Racial Terror and the Anti-Lynching Movement

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