Settling the Great Plains and Farmers

and the Populist Movement Settlers of the Great Plains transform the land

and farmers united to address their economic

problems, giving rise to the Populist movement.

Opening Activity:

Think about the

students that set the

trends at TUHS. In a

paragraph discuss

what they all have in

common.

Taking Notes

Define the following terms:

Homestead Act bonanza farms bimetallism

exodusters Grange gold standard

soddy Farmers’ Alliance William McKinley

Morrill Act Populism William Jennings Bryan

Causes

1.

2.

3.

Effects

1.

2.

3.

Populist Party

Directions:

Identify the causes of the rise of the Populist Party and the effects the party

had.

I. Settlers Move Westward to Farm

A. Railroads Open the West

-1850-1871, huge land grants to railroads for laying track in West.

-1860s, Central Pacific goes east, Union Pacific west, meet in Utah.

-By 1880s, 5 transcontinental railroads completed.

-Railroads sell land to farmers, attract many European immigrants.

B. Government Support for Settlement

-1862 Homestead Act offers 160 acres free to any head of household.

*1862-1900, up to 600,000 families settle.

-Exodusters—Southern African-American settlers in Kansas.

-Railroad, state agents, speculators profit: only 10% of land went to families.

-Government strengthens act, passes new legislation for settlers—

Oklahoma—Sooner State.

C. Dugouts and Soddies

-Few trees, so many settlers dig homes into sides of ravines or

hills.

-In plains, make soddy or sod home by stacking blocks of turf.

D. Technical Support for Farmers

-Mass market for farm machines develops with migration to plains: John Deere’s steel plow (1837), reaping machine (1847), spring- tooth harrow (1869), grain drill (1841), barbed wire (1874), corn binder (1878), and steel windmill.

-1830, producing a bushel of grain 183 minutes—by 1900, 10 minutes.

-Morrill Act (1862 and 1890) finances agriculture colleges—Hatch Act (1887) creates agriculture experiment stations—research; turned the plains into “the breadbasket of the nation.”

E. Farmers in Debt

-Railroads, investors create bonanza farms—huge, single-crop

spreads.

-1885-1890 drought bankrupt single-crop operations.

-Rising cost of shipping grain pushes farmers into debt.

II. Farmers Unite to Address Common Problems

A. Economic Distress

-Farmers buy more land to grow more crops to pay off debt.

-After Civil War, government takes greenbacks out of circulation.

-Debtors have to pay loans in dollars worth more than those borrowed.

-Prices of crops fall dramatically—1867-1887 bushel of wheat, $2.00 to 68¢.

-1870s, debtors push government to put more money in circulation.

-1878 Bland-Allison Act—increased money supply, but wasn’t enough for farmers.

B. Problems with the Railroads

-Lack of competition lets railroads overcharge to transport grains.

-Farms mortgaged to buy supplies; suppliers charge high interest.

C. The Farmers’ Alliances

-1867, Oliver Hudson Kelley starts Patrons of Husbandry or

Grange—purpose is educational, social: by 1870s, fighting

railroads.

-Farmers’ Alliances—groups of farmers and sympathizers:

*Lecture on interest rates, government control of railroads,

banks.

*Gained over 4 million members.

III. The Rise and Fall of Populism

A. The Populist Party Platform

-Populism—movement of the people; Populist Party wants

reforms:

*Economic: increase money supply, graduated income tax,

federal loans.

*Political: Senate elected by popular vote; secret ballot; 8-

hour day, restrictions on immigration.

-1892, Populist candidates elected at different levels of

government: Democratic Party eventually adopts platform.

Farmers and laborers (especially miners) proved to be the Populist Party's strongest supporters. In this

cartoon, the fruits of their labor are being stolen by financial interests through foreclosures, interest, rents,

etc.

B. The Panic of 1893

-Railroads expand faster than markets; some go bankrupt.

-Farmers were overextended with dept.

-Government’s gold supply depleted (people traded silver notes for gold—government still obligated to buy silver), leads to rush on banks (traded paper money for gold):

*Over 15,000 businesses and 500 banks collapse—stock market crashes.

*Panic becomes a depression—1/5 of work force lost their jobs.

C. Silver and Gold

-Political divisions also regional:

*Republicans: Northeast business owners, bankers.

*Democrats: Southern, Western farmers, laborers.

-Bimetallism—system using both silver and gold to back currency.

-Gold Standard—backing currency with gold only.

-Paper money considered worthless if cannot be exchanged for metal.

-Silverites: bimetallism would create more money, stimulate economy—risk inflation.

-Gold bugs: gold only would create more stable, if expensive currency—risk deflation.

D. Bryan and the “Cross of Gold”

-1896, Republicans commit to gold, select William McKinley as

presidential candidate.

-Democrats favor bimetallism, choose William Jennings Bryan.

-Populists endorse Bryan, choose their own vice president to

maintain party identity.

E. The End of Populism

-McKinley gets East, industrial Midwest; Bryan South, farm Midwest.

-McKinley elected president—people feared inflation.

-Populism collapses; leaves legacy:

*The powerless can organize, have political impact.

*Union, liberal reforms enacted in 20th century.

1. The lasting effect of the _____________ Party was it showed that the poor and disadvantaged could organize and gain power in government.

2. The use of the secret ballot was one method to stop ____________ fraud.

3. Populists is the name of the political group who believed many changes should be made in the United States, one of which included giving people a greater ___________ in politics.

4. The intent of the _______________ Act was to encourage families to develop the West.

5. Farmers and laborers favored _______________ which would add more money into circulation and increase inflation.

6. Bankers and businessmen favored the _______________ which would put less money into circulation and increase deflation.

Words:

Homestead election voice gold standard

Populist bimetallism

Review Questions