Populist Era 8-5.

1. How do farmers impact your life?

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Farmers continued to struggle economically while South Carolinas government did little to help
out small farmers. Sharecroppers or tenant farmers continued to grow cotton while working on
small farms that had replaced the large plantations. The Conservatives passed a crop lien law
that allowed creditors to have first claim on a farmers crop which kept farmers in debt.

2. How do you think teenagers impact the economy?

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Although South Carolina farmers did not have machines for farming fertilizers did improve
production. South Carolinian farmers had to compete with other countries which forced prices
to fall. Farmers throughout the country were unable to make payments on loans with South
Carolinian sharecroppers suffering the most. Farmers responded by planting more cotton but
prices continued to fall. In addition, farmers had to deal with bank closings, drought and pests
such as the army worm and the boll weevil.

3. Why do you think farmers

had issues with railroad
companies?

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The Populist movement became established in South Carolina, as in other parts of the South
and in the Midwest. Farmers organized first a social organization called the Grange. In the
Midwest, the Grange evolved into a political organization while South Carolina farmers did not
gain political power. Farmers organized in regional Farmers Alliances in the 1880s that
advocated an increase in the monetary supply, especially the coinage of silver. Due to
segregation in South Carolina, there was a white Farmers Alliance and a Colored Farmers
Alliance. These groups formed the Populist Party, which supported the control of railroads and
banking, coinage of silver, and a system of federal farm loans. The party also wanted popular
election of Senators, the secret ballot, and a graduated income tax. The farmers attempted to
team up with industrial workers by pushing for an eight-hour day and limits on immigration.
The Populist Party was successful in electing senators, governors and state
representatives. .

4. What are ways segregation could have impacted African

American lives?
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Ben Tillman, a Populist, was voted into office with the help of small farmers because of his
extraordinary speaking and political skills. However, Tillman was not a true advocate for the
ideals of the Populist Party and he strove instead to gain control of the Democratic Party in
South Carolina. Tillmans messages of white supremacy led to an increase of violence and
lynching against African-Americans while disenfranchising African-American voters.

5. Why do you think it was necessary for farmers to have colleges

created for them?
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Ben Tillmans supporters, the Tillmanites, continued to challenge the Conservatives. Tillman
supported the building of Clemson as an agricultural college. Tillman encouraged schools to be
built for farmers to teach them better crop management and to develop new crops. The
property at Clemson was a donation by Thomas Green Clemson son-in-law of John C. Calhoun.
Clemson was also a land grant college in that it was western land reserved to support
agricultural improvements for states. In order to comply with the separate but equal, South
Carolina created South Carolina State for African Americans.

6. Imagine surviving a devastating earthquake, how would your life change after this event?
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Clemson and South Carolina State encouraged farmers to grow a wide range of crops instead of
just cotton. In 1886, South Carolina experienced the largest earthquake east of the Mississippi
whose center was Summerville but did the most damage in Charleston. The citys response to
this natural disaster transformed and updated practices in construction, disaster preparedness
and scientific study that continue today. A string of hurricanes hit Charleston starting in 1893
which eliminated rice and brought an end to the production of Carolina Gold. Lowcountry
farmers turned to truck farming to supply local markets and tobacco was introduced as a cash
crop in the Lowcountry. Upstate farmers started planting peach trees but cotton continued to
dominate.