Warm Up 1 Read the article on the Populist Movement and answer the questions that accompany it
The Farmers Alliance I. Farmers began organizing together to fight the unfair economic system they were trapped in II. Oliver Kelly established the first farmer s organization = Patrons of Husbandry. A. Called the Grange Movement III. The Grange Movement advocated on behalf of farmers for: A. Lower storage rates, lower shipping rates
Populist Party I. The Grange soon merged with Farmers Alliance and Color Farmer National Alliance to create the Populist Party II. The Populist Party was created to represent the average worker in America A. Agricultural and Industrial workers III. The Populist movement supported several financial and political reforms designed to assist working Americans
Populist Party I. The Grange soon merged with Farmers Alliance and Color Farmer National Alliance to create the Populist Party II. The Populist Party was created to represent the average worker in America A. Agricultural and Industrial workers III. The Populist Party pushed for financial and political reforms designed to assist working Americans
THE POPULIST PARTY PLATFORM I. Increase the money supply using bimetallism A. More money for the average worker II. Graduated income tax system A. Make more money à pay more in taxes III. Federal loans for farmers A. U.S. government would loan farmers money at low interest rate instead of banks IV. Popular election of U.S. Senators by the people V. Single term for POTUS & VPOTUS VI. 8 hour workday à 8 hours work, play, sleep
Rise of Populist Party I. The Populist party became very popular A. Western & Southern United States II. Helped struggling farmers, factory workers and the average American III. Populist programs would eventually merge with the Democratic Party
DO NOW 1 Create a political advertisement for the Populist Party 2 Keep in mind that this is a political party created to give power to the people 3 Be sure to include information about the party platform that was previously discussed in the notes. 4 Be sure to include the problems that the Populist Party will solve. 5 Appeal to the person who is most likely to vote Populist
Economic panic strikes
The Panic of 1893 I. Economic Panic à American economy enters into a recession A. Money becomes worthless, banks close, unemployment skyrockets II. Farmers have too much debt à banks close III. Railroad companies go bankrupt A. Reading RR, Erie RR, Northern Pacific RR, Union Pacific RR IV. Other railroads related industries (iron, steel and timber) also went out of business V. Businesses collapsed all over the USA A. American economy falls apart
The Metallic Divide
The Election of 1896 I. Three years after the Panic of 1893 the USA will have one of the most influential elections in history A. The Republicans = business owners, bankers, industrial northerners B. Democrats = farmers, laborers of southern & western USA II. The most important issue of the election was which metal would be used to back American money A. Gold Standard vs. Bimetallism
The American Money Problem I. Central issue in the election was which metal would be used to back American currency II. Silverites à Bimetallism à Populists/Democrats A. Use silver and gold for American currency B. More money in circulation C. Favored by poor and middle class III. Gold Bugs à gold standard à Republicans A. American dollars backed solely with gold B. More expensive dollars but buys more C. Favored by wealthy industrialists
BRYAN & CROSS OF GOLD SPEECH I. William Jennings Bryan was an advocate of bimetallism (gold & silver) II. Delivered Cross of Gold speech A. Argued bimetallism à allow the U.S. to prosper B. you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold C. Our economy should not suffer the gold standard III. Nominated by both Democrats & Populists for election of 1896
THE ELECTION OF 1896 AND THE END OF POPULISM
THE END OF POPULISM I. With the defeat of William Jennings Bryan, the Populist Party lost popularity and soon disappeared. II. Many Populist ideals were absorbed into other political parties in the early 1900 s III. The rise and fall of the Populist party did demonstrate that average, downtrodden individuals could politically organize and threaten the power of the Democrats & Republicans