Death at the Polls

Full Answer Section

        The image would likely criticize the South by visually portraying the continuation of white supremacy despite the supposed "reconstruction" of the region. For instance, it might depict former Confederates or white Southern Democrats regaining political control and trampling on the rights of African Americans. This could be symbolized by a large, imposing figure representing the "Solid South" (a term for the politically unified South that resisted Republican and Black influence) with features that are stern, unyielding, or even menacing. This figure might be seen kicking away symbols of federal authority or African American progress. The cartoon could show a lack of genuine change in the South, implying that the region had merely paid lip service to Reconstruction while secretly (or overtly) working to re-establish the old order, albeit without legal slavery. This could be represented by elements like the Ku Klux Klan or other white supremacist groups operating with impunity, or by African Americans being denied their voting rights through violence, intimidation, or discriminatory laws, even after the 15th Amendment granted them suffrage. Abolitionists and African Americans would overwhelmingly consider Reconstruction a failure for several critical reasons, and the Harper's Weekly print would likely reflect their disillusionment. For abolitionists, who had fought tirelessly for the emancipation of enslaved people, the goal was not merely freedom but full citizenship and equality. When the federal government effectively retreated from the South in 1877 (the Compromise of 1877), it signaled the end of meaningful protection for Black rights. The cartoon might visually represent this by showing federal troops (perhaps a lone, retreating soldier) leaving the scene, symbolizing the withdrawal of support that left African Americans vulnerable. For African Americans, the failure of Reconstruction was a devastating reality. While the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments promised freedom, citizenship, and voting rights, the practical application was severely hampered by Southern resistance. The cartoon could depict African Americans as disempowered or in distress, perhaps being denied access to polling places, being subjected to physical violence, or living in conditions that barely differed from slavery (e.g., sharecropping, which kept many in economic bondage). For example, the image might show an African American man attempting to cast a ballot but being blocked by a menacing white figure, or a family struggling in poverty under the watchful eye of a former plantation owner, highlighting the economic and political subjugation that replaced chattel slavery. The "Exoduster" movement of 1879, where African Americans left the South in large numbers for states like Kansas, was a direct consequence of the violence, economic exploitation, and political disenfranchisement they faced. If the cartoon depicts Black people migrating, it would powerfully illustrate their desperation and the failure of Reconstruction to provide safety and opportunity.

Sample Answer

          The Harper's Weekly print from 1879, appearing two years after the official end of Reconstruction, likely offers a harsh critique of the South by depicting the perceived consequences of its resistance to federal efforts and the abandonment of African Americans. While I cannot directly view the specific image, political cartoons from this era by artists like Thomas Nast often employed powerful symbolism to convey complex messages. Based on typical themes of the time, the cartoon would likely criticize the South by illustrating its continued oppression of Black citizens and its refusal to genuinely embrace the principles of equality and republican government, ultimately highlighting the federal government's withdrawal and the resulting plight of African Americans.