Farmers StruggleDuring the 1880s, new inventionsgreatly increased But greater farm production production led to lower prices for farm goods
Farmers StruggleA economicdepression hit thenation and manyfarmers went bankrupt. They believed the only way to convince the government to help them was to organize.
The Grange The first national farm organization was the Patrons of Husbandry, also known as The Grange Many farmers joined the Grange to get help duringthe difficult economic times The Grangers pressured railroads to reduce their rates to haul their goods to market. Grangers created cooperatives, which were marketing organizations that worked for the benefit of their members
Farmers’ Alliance By the late 1880s, a new organization known as the Farmers Alliance began to formFarmers Alliances were created throughout the southand west but alliance failed help the farmers enough
Populism The struggle of the farmers led to a rise of a belief known as Populism Populism was the movement to increase farmers’political power to work to pass laws in their interest
Populist Demands 1) unlimited coinage of silver 2) federal ownership of railroads 3) a graduated income tax 4) direct election of U.S. Senators
America’s Coining unlimitedcurrency should be silver would solve based on Gold the nations economic crisis
Election of 1896 When farmers found that the Democratic Party wouldnot meet their demands, many broke away and created the People’s Party, also known as the Populists In the Election of 1896, a major issue was improving the U.S. economy Democrats nominated William Jennings Bryan, a supporter of unlimited silver, drawing most Populists back to theWilliam Jennings Bryan Democratic Party William McKinley
Bryan: The Farmers Friend 18,000 miles of campaign “whistle stops.”
Was backed by people in the South and West, especially farmers Silverite, was opposed to the “gold standard” “You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.”
“Cross of Gold” SpeechWilliam Jennings Bryan’s speech denouncing thegold standard and calling for the U.S. to use silver, which would lower the value of the dollar, thus leading to an increase in the value of goods
William Jennings BryanThe Democratic Party became split because of Bryan’s support for many Populist beliefs
William McKinleyGovernor of Ohio who was supported by the industrial part of the nation (Northeast and Midwest)
McKinley supported the gold standard which wouldstrengthen the value of the dollar and big business
Election of 1896Because many “Gold Democrats” would not vote forBryan, McKinley won the election. The Populists lost most of its following and Populism died out.
Gold Triumphs Over Silver 1900 Gold Standard Act confirmed the nation’s commitment to the gold standard. A victory for the forces of conservatism. Republicans would dominate politics the next decade
The depression ends during the McKinley administration Objections to the gold standard lessen The Gold Standard is adopted when Congress passed the Gold Standard Act in 1900
“Parable of the Populists”? Tornado ? Silver Slippers ? Dorothy ? Emerald City ? Kansas ? Oz ? Wicked Witch of the The Wizard ? East ? Munchkins ? Tin Woodsman ? Wicked Witch of the Scarecrow ? West ? Cowardly Lion ? Flying Monkeys ? Yellow Brick Road ?
The United States stays on the Gold Standard until the 1970s Third Parties can cause major parties to change agendas Depressions cause panic in the moment but are soon forgotten once prosperity begins Many of the beliefs of the Populists were the root of Progressives
The Fight for Civil Rights during the Gilded Age By Brad Harris,Grand Prairie HS SE: US 3C