Can handle the hard life but… Can’t handle

low prices for crops high RR costs High interest rates

Loose their political influence Everything was going up in price but their

profits The more crops they produced the less they

made Supply exceeded demand

This means their bills are going up but they are making less $$$!

The Government: Had turned its back on farmers, only cared

about industry Banks:

Set interest rates too high Continuous debt

Railroad Companies: Said that RR’s charged whatever they wanted

but gave rebates (discounts) to who they wanted to

but farmers depend on RR to transport their goods back east

The Grange wanted: government

regulation of railroad rates

Did get some maximum rates set

Education on new farming techniques

The government to oversee interstate transportation

Wanted government regulation of railroads and banks

Believed that through farmer cooperation they could achieve their goals

National Farmer’s Alliance Southern Farmer’s Alliance Colored Farmer’s Alliance:

had to form their own due to discrimination…major weakness in Farmer’s Alliance because they weren’t really united

Munn vs. Illinois: Allowed states to

regulate RR rates within their own borders (intrastate)

Wabash vs. Illinois: severely limited the

rights of states to control interstate commerce

Led to the creation of the Interstate Commerce Act

Created the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate railroads

No longer regulated by states

Farmer’s Alliances formed cooperatives to collectively sell their crops Store their crops until prices level out While they were waiting it out RR’s would be

forced to lower their rates Didn’t always work

1. Why was the plight of farmers so different from other Americans?

a. Only they paid income taxesb. They couldn’t pay their debts

due to high shipping costsc. They did not have the right

to vote2. What led to the growth of

the Granger movement?a. increase cooperative

farmsb. declining prices and rising

debtc. development of the steel

plow

3. Why were there two different farmers’ alliances in the South?

a. There was a high farming population

b. Racismc. Fees were very high in

one alliance but not the other

4. How did the Supreme Court demonstrate sympathy with the farmers?

Idea of using both silver and gold to back money

Supported by some Populists

“Silverites”: support the use of silver

“Goldbugs”: promote the use of gold only

Farmer’s Alliances spread creating a new political party, the Populists Party or People’s Party

Omaha Platform (beliefs of the party) Warned

against dangers of political corruption Inadequate monetary supply And unresponsive government

Wanted the free coinage of silver because it would help them payoff debts quicker

Government ownership of RR’s instead of private companies owning RR’s…new idea

Farmers and Industrial Workers

Needed to gain both black and white voters in the South, try to fuse the Populist party with Black Republicans Democrats play the

race card

Wilmington (NC) Race Riots

of 1898

Supporter of Populism Receives Democratic

nomination for President in 1896 after delivering his “Cross of Gold Speech”

Because of Bryan’s nomination the Populists bow out of the race

Bryan looses the race and the Populists Party looses momentum

“You shall not press down upon the brow of labor

this crown of thorns, you shall

not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.”

1. Which group supported bimetallism?

a. Famersb. Foreign investorsc. Industrialists

2. What was the most important goal of Populism?

a. Increasing money in circulation

b. Regulating big businessc. Creating an 8-hour

workday

3. What caused the Wilmington race riots?

4. Do you think bimetalism would have helped the US famers?