The Great West and The Rise of the Debtor Unit (1860-1896) The learner will evaluate the great westward movement and assess the impact of the agricultural revolution on the nation.
Innovations Describe innovations in agriculture technology and business practices and assess their impact on the west.
Essential Question How can technological innovations change society?
NEW TECHNOLOGY -John Deere s steel plow -Cyrus McCormick s mechanical reaper -Joseph Glidden s barbed wire -better farm equipment reaper, harvesters -Prairie Fan Water Pump deeper wells -railroad expansion transcontinental railroad, 1869
New Agricultural Technology Steel Plow [ Sod Buster ] Prairie Fan Water Pump
Barbed Wire Joseph Glidden
Frederick Jackson Turner Now... the frontier has gone and with its going has closed the first period of American history. The Significance of the Frontier in American Society (1893)
Populism and the American Farmer Describe the causes and effects of the financial difficulties that plagued the American farmer and trace the rise and decline of populism.
Essential Question Why did so many farmers support Populism?
Decline of Farming -Rise of industry -Urbanization -End of the frontier -Dependant upon railroads Railroad charges -Falling prices -Increasing debt -Weather problems -Need for cheaper money Deflation and inflation
Railroad Abuses -construction graft -bribes -stock watering -unfair pricing long haul short haul -use of rebates for large customers
The Grange -also called the Patrons of Husbandry -began as social group -evolved into political group -called for regulation of railroads Granger Laws : mid-western state laws that regulated railroad abuses -Interstate Commerce Act (ICC) Federal law that regulates commerce -currency reform
Supreme Court Decisions Munn vs. Illinois (1877) Wabash, St. Louis, & Pacific Railroad Company vs. Illinois (1886)
Platform of Lunacy Populism -took the place of the Grange -strong mid-west support -reform based party -Omaha Platform, 1892 increase $ supply income tax secret ballots 8 hour workday Immigration control
Free Silver Crusade -Panic of 1893 nation enters a recession -many people promote silver and gold standard for currency -would create larger money supply greenbacks issued based on silver and gold bullion reserves -Gold standard only would limit money supply as gold reserves were limited
Heyday of Western Populism
End of the Populists -1896 election -William McKinley-Rep. Gold Standard -William Jennings Bryan Dem./Pop. Free Silver Cross of Gold Speech -McKinley wins election -Populism dies
End of the Populists Cross of Gold Speech You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns; you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!
Gold Triumphs Over Silver 1900 Gold Standard Act passed by Congress Confirmed the nation s commitment to the gold standard A victory for the forces of conservatism
Why Did Populism Decline? 1. The economy experienced rapid change. 2. The era of small producers and farmers was fading away. 3. Race divided the Populist Party, especially in the South. 4. The Populists were not able to break existing party loyalties. 5. Most of their agenda was co-opted by the Democratic Party.
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
1964: Henry Littlefield s Thesis
Student Choice Activities Create a diagram that illustrates the impact of bimetallism on the farmer and the consumer. Impact of Bimetallism Farmer Consumer
Student Choice Activities Create a catalog of the newest tools of the era that were available to the farmers and ranchers in the west.
Student Choice Activities Pretend you are a farmer during the close of the nineteenth century. What advice would you give a young person who asks whether he should become a farmer? Create a T-Chart that provides the positive and negative aspects of farming.
Student Choice Activities Create a banner to be hung at a populist rally.
Student Choice Activities Write a speech for a presidential or senatorial candidate in the late 1800s to be given at a meeting of farmers in which the following problems are already on an agenda for discussion: Drought Locusts Debt to banks Low prices High-priced farm machinery High rates charged by railroads