Lecture Notes: Ida B. Wells, New South, and Native American Reservations (Video)

Flashcards covering Ida B. Wells, the New South vs Old South, Northern investment in the South, and Native American reservations as discussed in the video lecture.

Who is Ida B. Wells and why is she important?

Born 1862 in Mississippi; journalist and anti-lynching activist who investigated lynchings, exposed economic motives, worked for the Memphis Free Press and the Memphis Star, helped found the NAACP, and was a suffragist.

Two of Ida B. Wells' friends were lynched; what was the real motive uncovered by her investigation?

Economic advancement — the men were targeted for moving to buy a grocery store and move up economically.

What was the Chicago Defender?

A major black-owned newspaper that reported on racial violence and issues nationwide and was a key source for race relations reporting in the early 20th century.

What did Wells’ investigation reveal about the pattern of lynching in the Tennessee-Mississippi-Florida region?

Many lynchings were connected to economic competition rather than sexual impropriety; victims were often about to move up economically or acquire property.

What is NAACP and what is Wells' connection to it?

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; Wells was one of its founders and a prominent civil rights advocate.

What is the New South?

Henry Grady’s post-Civil War vision advocating industrialization, modernization, and economic diversification of the South.

Difference between Old South and New South?

Old South refers to the pre-Civil War era; New South refers to the postwar push toward modernization and industrialization.

What were the postwar devastations in the South?

40% of livestock dead; 1 in 5 military-age men missing a limb; Mississippi allocated about one-third of its state budget to artificial limbs.

Why did Northern businessmen invest in the South after the Civil War?

Because of cheaper labor, cheaper land, lower taxes, and the opportunity for new markets and rails; Northern capital helped rebuild Southern infrastructure.

Why did the South resent Northern investment?

The North was seen as controlling the money, railroads, and prices; some southerners referred to the conflict as the 'war of northern aggression' and blamed the North for the economic disparities.

What is the Trail of Tears?

The forced relocation of five Native American tribes from the Southeast to Oklahoma in the 1830s, resulting in widespread suffering and deaths.

What was the Great Buffalo Hunt and what purpose did it serve?

A federal strategy in the 1870s to destroy the buffalo herd, the tribes’ staple food and livelihood, to force Native Americans onto reservations.

What is a Native American reservation?

A sovereign nation within a U.S. state, subject to federal law, often with its own police and sometimes casinos; residents typically live there rather than freely moving.

Where is Fort Sill and what is its relevance to Native American history discussed here?

Fort Sill is in Lawton, Oklahoma; mentioned as part of the Seminole and Native American history context and as a current military installation near reservation communities.

What questions were raised about land and fairness on reservations?

Debates about returning land vs improving living conditions; poverty, education, and employment needs; debates about sovereignty and appropriate policy responses.