THE POPULIST MOVEMENT

REVIEW!! Before 1877... American Civil War from 1861-1865 The North wanted to preserve the Union--The South wanted

independence The big issue was States' Rights The South lost; from 1865-1877 known as Reconstruction! Civil War Amendments: 13, 14, 15 Known as Reconstruction b/c we were trying to put the US

back together, but also to rebuild the South where most fighting had occurred.

Southern way of life and economy was destroyed; many moved West to start over-- African Americans-exodusters!

REVIEW!!! Changes on the Frontier (a frontier is an area that

hasn't been discovered, inhabited, claimed, or cultivated--> new)

Ways Around the Law Jim Crow laws Poll Taxes Literacy Tests Why did they work?? Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896 Separate but Equal doctrine

The Agrarian Movement

Important Terms

Arid-Dry

Midwest

The Northern area of the United States that stretches from Ohio to the Rocky Mountains.

Monetary--Currency System

Deflation A decrease in Prices

Inflation An Increase in

Prices

Unite To Come together

for a common good

Trusts Acts of business are

controlled by a “trusted” person

Technology Scientific

Improvements

Rural—The Country

Legislation LAWS

INTERstate Transportation

routes that attach multiple states

Transcontinental Railroad

Commerce-- Business

Alliance– Agreement to act as a group

Bimetallic—Two MetalsSilver and Gold... Silver and Gold...

Safety Valve Theory Theory that states

that when unemployment was rising in cities, people moved west to farm and were prosperous. This was driven by the Homestead Act of 1862.

The Agrarian Movement

HOORAY! The Indians are Gone!

ASSIMILATION:

DAWES ACT:

The climate on the plains was Arid with long periods of drought.

Irrigation was hard because there wasn't a lot of water available. They dug wells, but many of them were hundreds of feet deep.

They found a solution...

They built windmills capable of pumping the water from deep in the ground.

Railroad companies were charging high prices to move the farmer's

produce.

1875- The United States adopted the gold standard.

We had more dollars than we had gold. This caused the value of the dollar to decrease. It led to deflation and prices remained low.

The farmers wanted inflation, which would lead to an increase in prices, and give them more money for their crops.

The Farmers Unite Since farmers faced

so many problems, they began to unite

The National Grange was founded as an effort by farmers to work together for change

The Granger Goal

Limit Railroad shipment rates and end monopolies

The Interstate Commerce Act

This was passed in 1887. It regulated (limited) the amount railroad companies could charge to ship farmer's products.

The Populist PartyThe Grange

Farmer’s Alliance

Populists

1867

Oliver H. Kelley

Declined some in the 1870s

1880

Northern Alliance

Southern Alliance

1892

Political party

aka People’s Party

Rise and Fall of Populism

Populist Platform:

(issues they believe are worth fighting for)

Graduated Income Tax Direct Election of US Senators Increased Circulation of Money Free and Unlimited Coinage of

Silver Government Control

The Populist (Peoples’) Party

Founded by James B. Weaverand Tom Watson.

Omaha, NE Convention in July,1892.

Got almost 1 million popularvotes.

Several Congressional seatswon.

James B. Weaver, Presidential Candidate

&James G. Field, VP

1892 Election

Bi-Metallism Issue

Causes of the 1893 Panic Begun 10 days after Cleveland took

office.

1. Several major corps. went bankrupt.

Over 16,000 businesses disappeared.

Triggered a stock market crash.

Over-extended investments.

2. Bank failures followed causing a contractionof credit [nearly 500 banks closed].

3. By 1895, unemployment reached 3 million.

Americans cried out for relief, but the Govt.continued its laissez faire policies!!

Here Lies Prosperity

Written by a Farmer at the End of the 19cWhen the banker says he's broke

And the merchant’s up in smoke, They forget that it's the farmer who feeds them all. It would put them to the test If the farmer took a rest; Then they'd know that it's the farmer feeds them all.

Election of 1896

William Jennings Bryan

Populists/Democrats Cross of Gold Speech Silver Backed Currency

William McKinley Republicans Gold Standared

“Cross of Gold”(read excerpt on page 223 in your book)

…You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns; you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!

Bryan: The Farmers Friend

(The Mint Ratio)

18,000 miles of campaign “whistle stops.”

Democratic Party Taken Over

by the Agrarian Left

Platform tariff reductions; income tax; strictercontrol of the trusts (esp. RRs); free silver.

1896 Election Results

Gold Triumphs Over Silver

1900 GoldStandard Act

confirmed thenation’s commitment tothe gold standard.

A victory for the

forces ofconservatism.

The End of PopulismUrban voters feared inflation

McKinley’s campaign was well-organized and highly funded

Bryan lost!

McKinley’s victory led to collapse of Populism