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Difficulty: EasyThe Great Migration and Demographic Shifts

Read the following excerpt from an interview with an African American migrant who relocated from Texas to Richmond, California, in the 1940s:

"Back home, you could only get farm work or domestic work, and the pay was barely enough to feed a family, not to mention the constant fear of racial violence. In California, the shipyards were hiring anyone who could hold a tool, and they paid a decent wage. Even though we still faced discrimination in housing out here, we had a chance at a real job and a vote."

Based on the excerpt, which of the following was a primary push factor that motivated the migrant to leave the South?

  1. The persistent threat of racial violence and the lack of economic opportunities beyond low-paying agricultural workAnswer
  2. B
    The availability of higher-paying industrial jobs in California shipyards
  3. C
    The promise of integrated housing options in western urban centers
  4. D
    The enforcement of federal voting rights protections in southern states

Answer

The persistent threat of racial violence and the lack of economic opportunities beyond low-paying agricultural work
The correct answer is correct because it identifies the push factors explicitly described by the migrant in the South: the threat of racial violence and the confinement to low-paying farm or domestic labor.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the question stem to identify the core task.
The student must identify a 'push factor' (a negative condition in the place of origin that forces people to leave) mentioned in the excerpt.
This establishes the conceptual boundary between push factors (conditions in the South) and pull factors (conditions in the West).
2
Evaluate the primary source text for push factors.
The text lists Southern conditions: limited labor options (farm/domestic work), low wages ('barely enough to feed a family'), and racial terror ('constant fear of racial violence').
This maps the conceptual definition of a push factor to the specific details provided in the migrant's testimony.
3
Evaluate the options to find the one matching the identified push factors.
The option citing racial violence and limited agricultural opportunities directly matches the southern push factors described in the text.
This confirms the correct choice while eliminating distractors that describe pull factors, are historically inaccurate, or are contradicted by the text.

Key Concept

Distinguishing between push and pull factors of the Great Migration
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Topics

The Great Migration and Demographic Shifts

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