Review of Westward Expansion
PUSH FACTORS
Civil War
PULL FACTORS
Government Incentives:
--Pacific Railways Act:
Land
--Morrill Land Grant:
Ethnic
Factors
--Homestead Act:
Debt
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Law
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FARMER’S PROBLEMS
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Weather problems: drought, fire, sand storms, flood
Falling Prices: crop prices had fallen—farmers would
mortgage land to buy more land to produce more crops to
compensate
Debt: farmers often could not afford to make payments
loans
Railroads: main source of transportation—railroads take
advantage of farmer by charging excessive prices for
shipping.
Need for cheaper money: Greenbacks were issued during
the war, afterwards taken out of circulation and not backed
by gold or silver—farmers who borrowed during war time
had to now pay back loans in dollars worth more than the
dollars they had borrowed.
RAILROAD ABUSES
 Construction graft: charge more than actual cost
 Bribes: swindling investors and taxpayers, cheating on
contracts and debt, secret agreements with middlemen (grain
brokers and merchants) that allowed the railroad to control the
storage prices and influence market prices of goods
 Stock watering: manipulating the stock—Jay Gould (railroad
owner)
 Unfair pricing: hurt the small farmer
long haul—by boat cheaper
short haul—by train more expensive
 Use of rebates for large customers, but not for small farmers
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THE GRANGE
Patrons of Husbandry founded by Oliver Hudson
Kelley
Originally social group of farmers to provide social
outlet and an educational forum for farm families
which become known as the Grange
Become politically involved especially fighting the
railroads
Grange taught members how to organize, set up a
farmer’s alliance, and how to sponsor state legislation
to regulate the railroads
Granger Laws regulated mid-western railroads but
ruled UNCONSTITUTIONAL by Wabash v. Illinois
ICC—Interstate Commerce Act were federal laws that
regulates commerce and trade
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POPULISM: took place of Grange
Leaders of alliance groups like the Farmer’s Alliance and
Southern Alliance realize that to make far-reaching
changes they need a larger base of political power
Populism—movement of the people
Populist party takes the place of the Grange, western and
southern farmers, some low wage laborers
Reform based party— demand for changes to improve
conditions and help with debt
Omaha Platform: call for increase in money supply,
graduate income tax, federal loan program, secret ballot to
end fraudulent voting, 8 hour workday, farmer’s
cooperative and restrictions on immigration
Populist party’s programs are eventually adopted by
Democratic Party
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FREE SILVER CRUSADE
Panic of 1893—nation enters a recession.
WHY? farmers overextended with debt, railroads
construction had expanded faster than markets (many
RR companies go bankrupt), government’s gold
supply had thinned, people panicked and traded paper
money for gold, stock price fell rapidly, price of silver
plunged causing silver mines to close, 15000 business
and 500 banks close
Greenbacks (paper money) should be issued based
on silver and gold in reserve
BRYAN AND END OF POPULISTS
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1896 election:
Republican party
nominates William
McKinley (gold
standard) while the
Democratic party
nominated William
Jennings Bryan (free
silver or bimetallism).
Populists were
undecided on what to
do—decided to back
William Jennings and
nominate a different
Vice President from
the Democratic party
“Cross of Gold Speech” by
William Jennings Bryan
(Democratic and Populist
nominee)
McKinley wins election, Populism
collapses
Legacy of Populism:
1. message that down-trodden
common man could organize
and have a political impact
2. idea of constant reform is the
responsibility of the
government
You will need your own paper for today’s
activity!
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Copy and complete the cause and effect
chart on Populism
Copy and complete the Goldbugs v. Silverites
chart
Copy the review questions and answer!
RISE AND FALL OF POPULISM
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CAUSES
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EFFECTS
GOLD BUGS
SILVERITES
Who they were
______________ and
________________ and
___________________
_______________
What they wanted
Gold standard
________ money in
circulation
Bimetallism
________ money in
circulation
Why
Loans would be ______ in
__________
__________
Products would be _______
at ____________
_________
Effects
___________________:
Prices ______
Value of money
___________
___________people have
money
Inflation:
Prices rise
Value of money decreases
More people have money
Party and Candidate
__________________
__________________
___________________ and
__________________
_______________________
Populism Review
1.
List 3 problems of the Farmers in the late 1800s.
2.
In what ways were the railroads abusing farmers?
3.
Who founded the Patrons of Husbandry, the first
farmer’s organization?
4.
What were the 2 original goals of the Grange Movement?
5.
What courtcase ruled Granger Laws unconstitutional?
Populism Review
6. What act gave the federal gov’t power to regulate commerce and trade?
7. What new political party developed and what were their goals?
8. What happened in 1893 and why?
9. Who was the Democratic candidate in 1896? The Populist candidate?
What major issue did he run on?
10. Who won the election of 1896 and what impact did that have on
Populism?
11-12. What were the lasting impacts of Populism?