Internal migration

Definition

Internal migration refers to the movement of people within a country, often from rural to urban areas, in search of better economic opportunities, improved living conditions, or to escape social issues. This phenomenon played a significant role in shaping labor systems and addressing economic challenges, especially after the abolition of slavery when many African Americans sought new livelihoods and communities.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Post-emancipation, many African Americans migrated internally to find work in cities as sharecroppers or laborers, significantly reshaping the labor landscape.
2. The shift from rural to urban areas due to internal migration contributed to the growth of cities and led to increased demand for industrial labor.
3. Internal migration was influenced by various factors including economic opportunities, educational prospects, and social mobility.
4. This movement often resulted in cultural exchanges as migrants brought their traditions and practices into new communities, influencing local cultures.
5. Internal migration also created challenges such as overcrowding in cities and tensions between newcomers and established residents.

Review Questions

• How did internal migration impact the post-emancipation labor systems in the United States?
  • Internal migration significantly impacted post-emancipation labor systems as many African Americans moved from the South to Northern cities seeking jobs. This shift led to the decline of plantation economies reliant on slave labor and encouraged the establishment of new labor structures like sharecropping and industrial work. The influx of workers also contributed to changing dynamics in urban areas, creating a diverse workforce that shaped economic development.
• Analyze how internal migration addressed some of the economic challenges faced by African Americans after emancipation.
  • After emancipation, internal migration allowed many African Americans to escape oppressive conditions in the South and pursue better economic opportunities in Northern cities. By relocating, they could find jobs in factories and industries that offered wages greater than what sharecropping could provide. This movement not only aimed to alleviate poverty but also fostered new communities that supported cultural identity and economic advancement despite ongoing discrimination.
• Evaluate the long-term social implications of internal migration for African American communities during the post-emancipation era.
  • The long-term social implications of internal migration for African American communities were profound. As families settled in urban centers, they built networks that provided support in navigating economic hardships and racial discrimination. Over time, these communities became hubs of cultural production, contributing significantly to social movements and shaping the civil rights struggle. However, this migration also led to challenges such as segregation and socioeconomic disparities that persisted across generations.

Related terms

Great Migration:

A mass movement of African Americans from the rural Southern United States to urban areas in the North and West between 1916 and 1970, seeking better economic opportunities and escaping racial discrimination.

Sharecropping: An agricultural system where farmers, often former slaves, would work land owned by someone else in exchange for a share of the crops, which became a common labor system in the South post-emancipation.

Urbanization:

The process by which cities grow as more people move from rural areas to urban centers, often linked to internal migration and resulting in significant demographic and economic changes.