Why did the Democrats used to be the party of the south and Republicans the party of the north?

Answer 1

Originally, the South was Democratic because they saw the Republicans as the oppressors from reconstruction and the Democratic Party as the only party that would support the "Southern Way of Life" a/k/a "Jim Crow" or segregation. The North was Republican because the north saw the Republicans as the party that had preserved the union and would make the "traitors" from the South toe the line.

That changed after the 1950s and 1960s when the Democratic Party decided to support Civil Rights legislation and the Republican Party decided that the growing population of the Sunbelt justified abandoning their traditional support for minorities and embracing the State's Righters in order to become the majority party.

Answer 2

The Republicans were the party of the Union during the Civil War. The former Confederate states weren't going to forget the war or Reconstruction that fast, therefore they were Democrats. That's the answer in a nutshell.

Answer 3

Former Democrats, like Strom Thurman, broke from the Democratic party due to the sweeping reforms in civil rights Strom Formed the "Dixiecrats", in support of segregation and in opposition to civil rights. The Republican Party aligned themselves more with the Southern philosophy and ideals and the South became Republican.

Answer 4

Johnson signed the civil rights act and enforced it with federal troops, and the Southern Democrats abandoned the party, becoming Republicans.

Answer 5

Great question!

Southern Democrats are members of the U.S. Democratic Party who reside in the U.S. South. In the Early 1800's they were the definitive pro-slavery wing of the party

Answer 6

Has the climate change reversed the magnetic field already?

Answer 7

Demographics, I'm not trying to make anyone mad but check them out is all.

Answer 8

the southerners didn't change.the democratic party did