Political Changes Standard Indicator 8-7.3
I. Democratic South Carolina A. In the mid-20 th century, political parties shifted in SC as a result of the evolving position of the Democratic Party on issues of race & other issues of interest to conserve Southerners. B. Why was SC & the South solidly Democratic prior to the emergence of the modern civil rights movements?
II. Quick Rewind A. Lowcountry planters supported Federalists Party of Alexander Hamilton in early years of republic B. National Federalists faded SC equalized C. SC became predominantly Democratic-Republican, then Democratic D. Pre-Civil War Republican Party emerged as a coalition of groups opposed to the expansion of slavery into the territories E. Reconstruction period-radical Republicans attempted to reconstitute SC F. SC blamed Republicans for the war and voted solidly Democratic & became part of the solid South
III. SC & President Trust Issues A. Conservative Southerners initially supported the New Deal (FDR was a Democrat) 1. Quickly became suspicious of FDR s northern black support B. 1948, (post WWII) Harry Truman ordered the desegregation of the military C. Truman supported the inclusion of planks in the Democratic Party platform (anti-poll tax, federal protection against lynching aimed at rectifying the horrible conditions of blacks)
III. SC & President Trust Issues cont E. Southerners got mad about federal intrusion into their matters & walked out of the Democratic National Convention F. Formed their own party-dixiecrats G. Named Strom Thurmond their presidential candidate (1948 election) 1:30 H. He was defeated & many Dixiecrats returned to the Democratic Party I. Marker the beginning of the end of the solid South
IV. The Political Switch-a-Roo A. Thurmond holds record 24 hrs. & 18 min. filibuster against the passaged of a civil rights act that would provide federal protection for the right to vote B. Democrat presidents JFK & Lyndon Johnson supported the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 & the Voting Rights Act of 1965 C. Many southerners withdrew their support for the President & Democratic Party D. Thurmond changed party affiliations to Republic (1964) E. SC has voted Republican since 1964 with only one exception, 1976-Jimmy Carter from Georgia
V. Return to the Republican Party A. Other Factors: 1. Protest against the Vietnam War (unpatriotic, affiliated w/the Democratic Party) 2. Nixon campaign-restore law & order ; appealed to conservative southern who feared the backlash of black power & anti-war movements 3. Fundamentalist & evangelical churches organized politically as social conservatives & became a cornerstone of the growing conservative movement
VI. African Americans A. Supported the Republican Party that gave them their freedom during the Reconstruction Era B. Consistently supported the Democratic Party since 1960s b/c of its support of civil rights C. Make up about 28% of the population in SC, giving them little impact on presidential election with the winnertake-all process of electoral votes to the majority D. Presently, African Americans hold 38 seats in the SC Legislature
VII. Women in Politics A. Civil Rights Movement-reemergence of women s rights movement B. SC finally ratified the (1920) 19 th Amendment in 1969 C. SC was one of ten states that failed to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment causing it to fail D. SC women have had prominent roles in government, including: 1. Served in Congress 2. Lieutenant Governor 3. Governor 4. Members of the state legislature, where 16 are currently serving
VIII. Education Reform A. To ensure continued economic growth, successive governors backed state funding of minimal level of education for all the state s children funded by a sales tax B. SC business community addressed educational issues through the Education Improvement Act in the mid- 1980s C. Act called for a one cent sales tax increase to be used for education D. Graduation rates improved but inequality is still and issue & the Act has proved unstable
VIII. Education Reform cont E. State had to cut funding in the last several years due to lower revenues-recession F. Wealthy districts are able to tap into local resources while poor districts are unable to fully fund education for their children G. Achievement gap-years of discrimination in educational opportunity H. The Education Improvement Act (1980s) & the Educational Accountability Act (1990s) were passed to ensure that all SC children have an equal opportunity to learn I. NCLB Act-standards based accountability