US Unit 5, Lesson 1 Farmers, the Wild West & Populism
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I. The Wild Wild West A. Native Americans & Expansion 1.
Expansion stood in the way of the Native Americans 2. Remember the
Trail of Tears (Andrew Jackson) 3. By the 1840s only scattered
groups of Native Americans lived in the east 4. Most lived west of
the Mississippi river on land that no one wanted.
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5. Three things happened to change this situation California
Gold Rush Transcontinental railroad Easterners discovered the rich
farmland of the Great Plains
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B. Indian Wars 1. From the 1850s-1890s a series of Indian wars
raged in the West 2. Gradually the Indians were forced onto smaller
and smaller areas of land known as reservations.
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3. The Indians tried to resist but lost because their weapons
were primitive, they were outnumbered by white settlers, and they
were disunified. 4. The defeat of the Sioux Indians at Wounded
Knee, South Dakota in 1890 is usually considered the end of the
Indian wars.
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C. Changing Government Policies 1. Indians were given
reservation land that rarely could produce adequate crops or
support enough game for the people living on it. 2. 1887 Dawes Act:
proposed to break up tribes and give land directly to the Indian
families (Goal: Americanize them)
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3. By 1900 government policies had reduced the size of the
Indian population and made them the poorest Americans
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D. The Economy of the West 1) New technologies helped settlers
who moved onto Indian lands exploit the wealth of the West.
railroad mechanical reapers/farm tools plow windmills barbed wire
2) Riches of the West took many forms. farms (grain) gold, silver,
copper, oil ranches (cattle)lead, zinc
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Theme: Explain the reasons for agrarian discontent and evaluate
the validity of the farmers complaints during the 1890s.
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II. Farmers Complaints: A.By 1890, American farmers were
raising enough to feed the nation AND still export wheat and other
crops. B. Crop prices: The price of wheat and corn and cotton had
boomed right after the Civil War but after the Panic of 1873 prices
went down. Why? 1. blizzards, droughts, infestations 2. competition
from foreign producers B.High fees of big business: Farm equipment
was often sold cheaper overseas C. High fees of banks: Farmers had
to borrow money to purchase equipment and supplies. Banks charged
high interest rates.
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D. High fees of railroads 1. Railroads bribed state
legislatures 2. Farmers paid more to ship crops short distances
than over long hauls 3. Railroads charged high prices for
warehouses and storage facilities.
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III. Farmer Organizations A. The Grange or Patrons of Husbandry
was formed in 1867. (husbandry=farming) 1. Many farmers facing the
hardships and isolation of rural life joined the Grange. 2. The
Granges grandest gripe was the abuses of the railroad industry. a.
The Grange began to press for political changes to limit the power
of the railroads. b. Pressure from the Grange and other groups led
to the state laws regulating railroads that were upheld in the
Supreme Court Case of Munn v. Illinois, and the federal law
creating the Interstate Commerce Commission.
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B. The Farmers Alliance 1. 1889: Several regional organizations
formed the National Farmers Alliance and Industrial Union3 million
white members 2. The Grange had pushed for legislation but the
Farmers Alliance ran for offices. C. Birth of Populist Party 1892-
Representatives from the Farmers Alliance, Knights of Labor and
National Colored Farmers Alliance met in St. Louis and adopted a
platform for the new Peoples Party.
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Theme: Analyze the reasons for the emergence of the Populist
movement in the late 19th century.
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IV. Populist Party A. Farmers realized that their best hope of
winning more reforms was the formation of a new political party. B.
Support: The Populists had grass roots support-- common people
(farmers)
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C. Goals: Read A Populist Prescription for Social Reform
Peoples Party Platform of 1892 1. When was the Populist party first
organized? 1892 2. Who was their first presidential nominee? James
Weaver 3. What types of people were part of the Populist party?
Farmers, workers
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4. Name at least five social ills that the Populist party
sought to address? corruption in politics demoralized people
bribery newspapers silenced people in debt labor impoverished no
unions immigrants take cheap jobs rich steal money from workers 2
classes: tramps and millionaires
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5. How was paper money funded? What did the Populists want?
Gold; free coinage of silver 6. What did the Populists accuse the
other two political parties of? Power struggles They ignored the
people. They helped big business.
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7. What did the Populists claim their purpose was? To form a
more perfect Union and ensure justice 8. What was the Populist view
about the Civil War? It was over. All the passion and resentment
should end and the country should work together. No more waving the
bloody shirt.
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9. Did the Populist party want the powers of government
extended? yes 10. Does this represent a loose or strict view of the
Constitution? Loose 11. Who do the Populist say the wealth of the
United States belongs to? People He who creates it. 12. What do the
Populists want the role of government to be in regards to the
railroad? Government should own the railroad.
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13. What do the Populists want in regards to the coinage of
currency? Free and unlimited coinage of silver 14. What type of tax
do the Populists believe is fair? Graduated income tax 15. What
type of election reforms do the Populists advocate? Secret ballot;
fair count
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16. What is the Populist position regarding immigration?
Restrict immigration to help American workers. 17. How do the
Populists want to limit the terms of federal officeholders? 1 term
for president and vice-president Direct election of senators
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Video clip: Populist Party 3 minutes
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V. Election of 1892 A.Candidates: Populist James Weaver,
Democrat and former president Grover Cleveland, incumbent (sitting)
President Republican Benjamin Harrison. B.A severe economic
depression took hold in the 1890s. C. Jacob Coxey marched an army
of unemployed people into Washington, D.C. to demand that the
government do something D. Strikes went on all over the nation.
(Homestead 1892, Pullman 1894) E.Cleveland Wins!
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VI. Election of 1896: William Jennings Bryan (Populist &
Democratic candidate) vs. William McKinley (Republican)
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A.Chief Populist Issue: free silver 1.This free coinage of
silver would produce cheap money. 2.Currency inflated in value
would make it easier for farmers to pay off debts. 3.Free coinage
of silver would put more money in the hands of farmers and
consumers than the gold standard used by the United States at that
time. 4.There was more silver to be found and mined out west than
gold.
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Who won the election? William McKinleyfor a number of reasons
1) Big Business wasnt fond of the idea of free silver. 2) Many
blacks still voted with the Republicans (anti Solid-South)
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The Wizard of Oz as a Populist Allegory A.The book, the Wizard
of Oz by Frank Baum was first published in 1900. While it has
enjoyed generations as a childrens tale about the colorful, magical
land of Oz, it is actually an allegory (metaphor). B. An allegory
is defined as the expression of truths or generalizations about
human existence by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions.
C. So what is the relationship between the Populist Movement and
the Actions and Figures of the Wizard of Oz?
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The story begins with Dorothy, a simple girl from Kansas. She
lives on a farm with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. She runs away
from home in order to protect her dog from being taken. And, after
being knocked out during a tornado, finds herself over the rainbow
a place where she fantasizes that everything in her life will be
wonderful, and all her problems will disappear. Who does Dorothy
symbolize in our Populist story?
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Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the yellow brick road.
In the book Dorothys slippers are not ruby, but silver. The shoes
represent the silver issue, and silver is the solution for Dorothy
to get home. Hollywood used ruby since they couldnt find any fancy
silver shoes. The yellow brick road is also the gold standard. At
the time, that was the only way to Oz.
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Along the way to the Emerald City, Dorothy meets a Scarecrow,
who has no brain. He wants to go with her so that the Wizard will
give him one. At the end of the book, the Wizard is dethroned, and
the Scarecrow rules Emerald City. Who is the Scarecrow?
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In the story, Baum tells us that the Wicked Witch has kept the
Munchkin people in bondage for many years, making them a slave for
her night and day. And, as we all know, the Wicked Witch spends
most of the story going after Dorothy. Obviously, Baum is saying
that the Witch is hurting Dorothy (common person). Who or what
might the Wicked Witch symbolize in our populist story?
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Next, Dorothy and the scarecrow meet the Tinman. Baum describes
him as a one-time independent and hard working businessman. He had
been put under a spell by the witch so that every time he swung his
ax it chopped off a different part of his body. But, he works even
harder than ever, and becomes like a machine, dehumanized,
incapable of love (no heart). So, who is he in our story?
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Next, the group meets a cowardly lion in the forest. At first,
they are afraid of him and his loud roar. But they soon realize
that he isnt mean and powerful at all, but really a coward. He
talks a good game, but really doesnt get the job done in the long
run. Who does the Lion represent?
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Lets watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1PfVVFq97I tornado
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1PfVVFq97I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ati1qZjaeu8 follow the yellow brick
road http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ati1qZjaeu8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nauLgZISozs if I only had a brain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nauLgZISozs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=louBM-Mix7s meet the tinman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=louBM-Mix7s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2itQkiQUOE coward
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2itQkiQUOE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SESI19h4wDo monkeys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SESI19h4wDo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC871hNBig4 emerald city
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC871hNBig4
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The Wizard represents the President. Like all good politicians,
he can be all things to all people. He was a common man, but became
President, and tried to hide who he was from the people. The throne
room was like the White House, a good place to hide from the
people.
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Water Dorothy managed to kill the Witch by throwing water on
her. Baum placed a great deal of symbolism in this. The water is
supposed to be a solution for the farmers, a way to take care of
the drought. It also shows that he felt that bimetalism would solve
the nations problems, and rid it of the Wicked Witch.
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Winged Monkeys Symbolized the Plains Indians Once we were a
free people, living happily in the great forest, flying from tree
to tree, eating nuts and fruit and doing just as we pleased without
calling anybody master.
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The Good Witch (Glinda) symbolizes the power the South would
have given the Populists had it united with the West in the
election.
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Munchkins They represented immigrantsshort little people who
looked different from everyone else-
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Dorothy represents the common person. Being from the midwest,
and a farmer, she represents the interests of most Populists at
that time. She represents hope, humanity, and intelligence in each
American citizen.
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The scarecrow is the farmer. The farmer is viewed as ignorant,
and without a brain. That is reversed later as Baum, a Populist,
ends the story with the farmers ruling the city, and having great
power.
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The Wicked Witch represents the large industrial corporations
and eastern finance companies that are hurting people in the
westi.e. railroads & banks.
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The Tinman (Tin Woodsman) represents urban industrial workers,
hurt mostly by the actions of the witch (corporations and eastern
finance). He symbolizes the dehumanized eastern workforce, no
longer craftsmen after the Industrial Revolution in America.
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The lion is William Jennings Bryan, who won over so many with
his powerful Cross of Gold Speech. But in the long run, he didnt
have the influence, power, or $$$ to win the Presidency or help the
Populists.
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Social Issues at the End of the 19 th Century The defeat of the
Populists symbolized the great changes that had swept the nation
since the Civil War. The economy had changed from agrarian to
industrial. United States was a country of cities rather than farms
and villages. The frontier was closing. Native Americans were dying
out. New immigrants were coming in to diversify the culture. Blacks
were not getting rights and Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) made separate
but equal legal. Big business dominated government with much
corruption. Labor Unions were not supported by government.