Case Studies:
1. John—Farmer who wants to move west with his family
a. How would he be able to get land?
b. What tools would he need to help him survive?
c. What dangers did he face?
d. What could potentially be his biggest problem that he could easily fall into?
e. How did the government step in to provide help for the farmer?
2. Sam---Heard about the discovery of gold out west and has dreams of striking it rich
a. Where would he go to potentially find gold or silver?
b. What dangers would he face?
c. What would the town be like he would live in? What happened to many of these
towns?
d. What were the odds of his success?
3. Kirk---Wants to head west to be a rancher.
a. Where would he go?
b. Where could he learn about being a cowboy?
c. What style of ranching would he use?
d. Why would the railroad be important to him?
e. How would he get his cattle to market?
f. What dangers would he face?
g. What invention actually helped end his new way of life?
4. Emmit---Farmer out in the Great Plains
a. What would have caused him to go into debt?
b. How has the railroad been hurting him?
c. What benefit would he get by joining the Grange?
d. How did Granger laws help him?
e. What did the Populists believe that would convince Emmit to join them?
f. If Emmit did join the Populists what candidate would he support in the 1896
Election?
g. Who won the Election of 1896?
h. Why did the Populists not succeed?