Politics in Texas
Denton County History | Pilot Point History | Politics | Agriculture | Manufacturing
In order to understand the political situation that St. John's existed in, it is necesary to understand the politics of the state at large. Thus, this section of "Uncovering St. John's" will trace the developments of politics in the state at large. It will then discuss the various political parties and their involvement in the state and specifically Denton County. After that, it will then discuss the political developments as seen in Pilot Point, including how they were described in local newspapers.
The Reconstruction Era lasted in Texas from the end of the Civil War through the 1870s. This era includes both Reconstruction and the Redeemer reaction to it. Reconstruction aimed to rebuild the South physically and ideologically, and the Redeemers worked to undue their actions. Following Reconstruction, begins the rise of the Farmers' Alliance and the Populist Movement. This movement, that sought political changes benefitting farmers, blacks, and laborers, lasts until the turn of the twentieth century when it was absorbed by other political parties. From the turn of the twentieth century until the 1920s, is the Progressive Era which sought to bring change to society including prohibition, women's suffrage, and governmental reform. The 1920s did not have an overarching theme or political movement, and there is not another major movement until the New Deal in the 1930s.