Remember that this book was written in the late 1940s. Key has become a classic study of southern politics, and a lot of other historians and political scientists use his model for describing the South.

 

What is Key’s main argument or theme in this introductory chapter?

 

What did Key see as the South's main problem in the early 20th century?

 

What are the "special problems" that relate to this main problem?

 

How does Key believe people outside the South view the region's politics? Does he think they're right?

 

Around what does Key believe southern politics revolve?

 

Despite this, why does Key believe that viewing the South's politics this way is simplistic?

 

What particular group of whites does Key think drive the region's politics? (What region of the South did they come from?)

 

What two great crises did these regions face?

 

What was the legacy of the planter-industrialist defeat of populism?

 

How does one-party rule in much of the South affect the region's politics?

 

Kari Frederickson, The Dixiecrat Revolt, chapter 5, The Dixiecrat Presidential Campaign

These may be helpful in the reading for Wednesday

We pick up in this chapter just after Strom Thurmond and Fielding Wright have received the States Rights Democratic nomination for president and VP. This chapter focuses on their campaign, on the attempts to get on the ballot, and on the election. 

What did the Dixiecrats hope to accomplish by running against the national Democrats?

What challenges did the Dixiecrats face in mounting their campaign in 1948?

How did they get on the ballot?

What issues did the Dixiecrats focus on?

Within the South, where did the Dixiecrats fare best?

What seemed to be the key to Dixiecrat success in each state?