What concept emerged in the post-Civil War South focusing on the idea of industrial development?

The concept of the "New South" emerged in the post-Civil War South as a vision for the region's economic and social transformation. Advocates of the New South aimed to move away from the agrarian economy that had dominated the antebellum South, which relied heavily on plantation agriculture and slavery. Instead, they sought to promote industrialization, urbanization, and diversification of the economy.

Prominent figures like Henry Grady, a journalist, pushed for the idea that the South could become a vibrant part of the national economy through the development of industries, such as textiles and manufacturing. The New South envisioned a future where the South could compete with the North in terms of industrial output and economic growth, leveraging its resources and labor in new ways.

This concept was significant because it encapsulated the hopes and aspirations of many Southerners who believed that the region could reshape its identity and achieve greater economic prosperity in the post-war era. The New South idea also included themes of reconciliatory politics between the North and South, as well as the promotion of education and the building of transportation networks to facilitate this industrial growth.