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Difficulty: MediumThe New South and Jim Crow

"The accident of color can make no difference in the interests of these two classes [Black and White farmers], which are identical... Now the People’s Party says to these two men, 'You are kept apart that you may be separately fleeced of your earnings. You are made to hate each other because upon that hatred is built the keystone of the arch of financial despotism which enslaves you both.'"

— Thomas E. Watson, politician, "The Negro Question in the South," 1892

Which of the following best describes the primary response of Southern Democrats to the political alliance proposed in the excerpt?

  1. The codification of constitutional disenfranchisement measures and Jim Crow segregation lawsAnswer
  2. B
    The ratification of new federal amendments to guarantee equal protection for agricultural laborers
  3. C
    The integration of Progressive urban reforms into state platforms to assist industrial factory workers
  4. D
    The enforcement of strict laissez-faire policies that prevented state regulation of railroad monopolies

Answer

The codification of constitutional disenfranchisement measures and Jim Crow segregation laws
The correct answer is correct because the Populist challenge of the early 1890s threatened the political hegemony of Southern Democrats by uniting poor Black and white farmers. In response, Southern Democrats weaponized racial prejudice and enacted disenfranchisement laws—such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses—along with legalized Jim Crow segregation to split the coalition and secure their political dominance.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus document and identify its key historical context.
The stimulus is from Tom Watson in 1892, representing the Populist (People's Party) effort to build a political alliance between poor Black and white farmers in the South based on shared economic interests.
Understanding the context of the Populist challenge to the Southern political establishment is necessary to determine how opponents reacted.
2
Evaluate the political goals and strategies of Southern Democrats during this period.
Southern Democrats (Redeemers) wanted to maintain solid political control of the South. The prospect of a biracial coalition of poor voters threatened their power.
Analyzing the motives of Southern Democrats helps identify their policy response.
3
Identify the historical actions taken by Southern Democrats to neutralize the Populist threat.
Southern Democrats implemented legal segregation (Jim Crow) and voting restrictions (literacy tests, poll taxes, understanding clauses) to disenfranchise Black voters and use appeals to white supremacy to detach poor white farmers from the Populists.
This links the threat of the Populist coalition directly to the rise of systemic disenfranchisement and segregation in the late 19th century.

Key Concept

The political and social impact of the New South, Populism, and the rise of Jim Crow segregation.
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Topics

The New South and Jim Crow

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