Why did white Southern Democrats disenfranchise black men?%0D%0A%0D%0A(1 point)%0D%0AResponses%0D%0A%0D%0AThey feared the consequences of African Americans having political power.%0D%0A%0D%0AThey feared the consequences of African Americans having political power.%0D%0A%0D%0AThey hoped African Americans would leave the South after being denied rights.%0D%0A%0D%0AThey hoped African Americans would leave the South after being denied rights.%0D%0A%0D%0AThey wanted to encourage literacy among formerly enslaved African Americans.%0D%0A%0D%0AThey wanted to encourage literacy among formerly enslaved African Americans.%0D%0A%0D%0AThey worried that African Americans would dismantle Republican governments.
The main reason why white Southern Democrats disenfranchised black men was that they feared the consequences of African Americans having political power. They worried that African Americans would dismantle Republican governments, which were seen as a threat to white supremacy and the existing social order. Additionally, by denying black men their voting rights, they hoped to maintain white political dominance and control over economic resources in the South. The other options mentioned in the responses, such as hoping African Americans would leave the South or promoting literacy among them, were not the primary motivations behind the disenfranchisement of black men.
The answer to the question is: They feared the consequences of African Americans having political power.
To explain how to get this answer, we can look at the historical context of the Reconstruction era in the United States, specifically in the Southern states after the American Civil War.
After the Civil War, the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting African American men the right to vote. This marked a significant shift in power dynamics, as it meant that formerly enslaved individuals now had the political power to influence government decisions and policies.
However, many white Southern Democrats, who were predominantly former Confederates, opposed the idea of African Americans having political power. They feared that African Americans would use their voting rights to support policies that would threaten their own interests and overturn the racial hierarchy that existed at the time.
To maintain white supremacy and control over the political system, these white Southern Democrats enacted a series of measures known as "Jim Crow" laws, which were aimed at disenfranchising black men. These laws included literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and other discriminatory measures that effectively prevented African Americans from exercising their voting rights.
By implementing these measures, white Southern Democrats were able to suppress black voter turnout and deny them representation in government. This allowed them to maintain their political control and continue imposing segregation and racial discrimination.
Therefore, the answer to the question is that white Southern Democrats disenfranchised black men because they feared the consequences of African Americans having political power.