Populism
“My Life Has Value!”
What is Populism?
A People’s Movement
 A movement seeking to aid interests of
farmers and the working class against the
rich
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Who were the Populists?
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White cotton farmers in the South
◦ AND
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Hard-pressed wheat farmers in the Plains
States
Populism in the United States
Political Party formed
 1892-1896 (Active Years)
 Hostile towards
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◦ Railroads
◦ Banks
◦ Elites
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Supported
◦ Pro-farmer legislation
◦ Coalitions with labor unions
Farm Problems
Becoming a minority in American society
 Small farms struggled against mechanized
ones
 Results
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◦ Falling Prices for Crops
◦ Rising Costs (Transportation)
◦ Foreclosures (Banks)
What problems did farmers have
with railroads?
Railroads charged high prices for shipping
crops
 Often made secret deals with suppliers to
set market prices
 Assumed to be controlled by the wealthy
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What did the Populists Want?
Established a platform of ideas they
supported
 Omaha, Nebraska 1892
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Directions
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1.
What type of workers are being addressed?
2. Who should own the railroads?
3. Did the Populists favor the use of gold? Silver? Both?
4. What is a graduated income tax?
5. Thoughts on alien ownership of land?
6. Thoughts on immigration? Why?
7. What groups are made up of organized workmen?
8. What is a subsidy? Why are Populists opposed to subsidies to
private corporations?
9. Do you see any problems with the amount of issues the
Populists cared about? Explain.
William McKinley (Republicans)
William Jennings Bryan (Democrats)
Election of 1896
Republicans
Populists (some Democrats)
Favored the Gold Standard
 Bankers + Businessmen
 Low Prices for goods
 Effect: fewer people have
money
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Favored Gold + Unlimited
coinage of silver
Farmers + Laborers
High Prices for goods
Effect: More people have
money
What was bimetallism? What
did each Party favor?
What was the Cross of Gold
Speech?
William Jennings Bryan stirring speech at
Democratic National Convention
 Denounced the Republicans + Gold
Standard
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What were two important legacies
left behind by the Populists?
1. The poor could be a powerful political
force
 2. major reform ideas that would be
adopted during 20th century.
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Outside Information to Focus On
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Oliver Hudson Kelley
The Grange
Farmers’ Alliance
Bimetallism
Gold Standard
William McKinley
William Jennings Bryan
Mary Elizabeth Lease
Colored Farmers’ National
Alliance
Populist Party Platform
Election of 1892
Credit Mobilier Scandal
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Bank Foreclosures
Farming land becoming
scarce
Industrialization
Urbanization
Greenbacks
Falling Wheat Prices
Bland Allison Act of 1878
Cycles of Credit and Debt
The Panic of 1893
Election of 1896
Cross of Gold Speech