Changes

Political parties were in disarray in the late 1850s and were suspended during the Civil War. During Reconstruction, 1863–1877, the dominant [[Republican Party]] was a coalition of Freedmen (freed slaves), [[Carpetbaggers]] (new arrivals from the North), and [[Scalawags]] (white southerners), all supported by the U.S. Army. Violent [[Democratic party|Democrat]] [[Ku Klux Klan]] confrontations led to the collapse of the Republican state governments in the 1870s; the last three fell in 1877. They were replaced by the [[Redeemers]], white Democrats allied to the wealthy [[Bourbon Democrats]] of the North.

Political parties were in disarray in the late 1850s and were suspended during the Civil War. During Reconstruction, 1863–1877, the dominant [[Republican Party]] was a coalition of Freedmen (freed slaves), [[Carpetbaggers]] (new arrivals from the North), and [[Scalawags]] (white southerners), all supported by the U.S. Army. Violent [[Democratic party|Democrat]] [[Ku Klux Klan]] confrontations led to the collapse of the Republican state governments in the 1870s; the last three fell in 1877. They were replaced by the [[Redeemers]], white Democrats allied to the wealthy [[Bourbon Democrats]] of the North.

The Democrats repressed a Populist movement in the 1890s and dominated every state with rare exceptions down to 1964.  The "Solid South" as political pundits called it, nearly always supported Democrat presidential candidates, except in 1928, 1952 and 1956.

The Democrats repressed a Populist movement in the 1890s and dominated every southern state with rare exceptions down to 1964.  The "Solid South" as political pundits called it, nearly always supported Democrat presidential candidates, except in 1928, 1952 and 1956.

While the majority of political scientists believe that the shift of the South to the Republican Party began in the 1960s, there is evidence that it really began in the 1920s and the 1950s.<ref name="SeanTrende"/> Elections Analyst Sean Trende explains, "the inescapable truth is that the GOP was making its greatest gains in the South while it was also pushing a pro-civil rights agenda nationally. What was really driving the GOP at this time was economic development. As Southern cities continued to develop and sprout suburbs, Southern exceptionalism was eroded; Southern whites simply became wealthy enough to start voting Republican."<ref name="SeanTrende">Trande, Sean (April 30, 2013).[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/04/30/southern_whites_shift_to_the_gop_predates_the_60s_118172.html Southern Whites' Shift to the GOP Predates the '60s]. ''Real Clear Politics''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref>  

While the majority of political scientists believe that the shift of the South to the Republican Party began in the 1960s, there is evidence that it really began in the 1920s and the 1950s.<ref name="SeanTrende"/> Elections Analyst Sean Trende explains, "the inescapable truth is that the GOP was making its greatest gains in the South while it was also pushing a pro-civil rights agenda nationally. What was really driving the GOP at this time was economic development. As Southern cities continued to develop and sprout suburbs, Southern exceptionalism was eroded; Southern whites simply became wealthy enough to start voting Republican."<ref name="SeanTrende">Trande, Sean (April 30, 2013).[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/04/30/southern_whites_shift_to_the_gop_predates_the_60s_118172.html Southern Whites' Shift to the GOP Predates the '60s]. ''Real Clear Politics''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref>