Presentation Details:
Slides: 17
Duration: 00:06:28
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Populists Navigation to PPT W\1-3 Files Farmers, Railroads and Populists\1-3 The Farmers, the Railroads, and the
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The Farmers, the Railroads, and the Populists!
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Slide 1
The Farmers, the Railroads, and the Populists!
The Farmer, the Railroads, and the
Populists!
Notes:
The Farmers, the Railroads, and the Populists
Duration: 00:00:04
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Slide 2
Notes:
Homesteaders
As settlers moved out west in increasing
numbers, farming became more and more
popular. Our country was expanding and our
growing population needed to be fed!
Homesteaders out west began to grow crops and
raise cattle in ever-increasing numbers.
Duration: 00:00:17
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Homesteading
Slide 3
Notes:
Transcontinental Railroad
Duration: 00:00:34
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Joining the tracks of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific at Promontory Point, Utah
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The completion of the transcontinental railroad in
1869 was a cause for celebration in our country.
To mark the occasion of the meeting of the
Union Pacific and Central Pacific railways, a gold
spike was put into the ground to show where the
railroads met, completing the project. Now the
east and the west were linked together with the
railroad. This development made it easier to
transport people out west and also made it more
efficient to transport crops, grains, and cattle
from the west to the eastern city markets.
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Slide 4
The Steel Plow
New Technologies
Notes:
Farming began to be a big business out west.
As we’ve seen, the new railroad provided a
system of transport for people and supplies to
and from the west. However, several other new
inventions made it possible for the farming
industry to continue to grow in the west. John
Deere’s invention of the steel plow allowed
farmers to plant crops by enabling them to cut
through the hard western soil. The lack of water
in some areas required the wells be dug into the
ground. Windmills used the power of the wind to
pump much-needed water to the surface for
irrigating crops.
Duration: 00:00:46
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Finally, the development of barbed wire by
Joseph Glidden made it possible for farmers to
fence in their land and livestock.
Slide 5
Notes:
Problems of the Farmer
Duration: 00:00:28
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Overproduction and high shipping costs hurt farmers
Even with these new technologies farmers faced
may problems. So many people became
farmers that overproduction of crops caused
prices to drop dramatically. This led to smaller
profits for each of the farmers. To make matters
worse, shipping costs on the railroads increased
as well. It was a double-whammy for the
farmers! As a result farmers were forced to
borrow more and more money and many
eventually found themselves in huge debt.
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Slide 6
Notes:
Farmer's Alliance
Duration: 00:00:26
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Farmers’
Alliances
help the farmers
Slide 7
Notes:
Southern Farmers Alliance and
Colored Farmers Alliance
Examples of these farmer’s alliances include the
Southern Farmers’ Alliance and the Colored
Farmers’ Alliance. Both are excellent examples
of farmers working together to improve their
financial conditions by fighting the powerful
railroads industry.
Farmers Alliances
Duration: 00:00:15
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Slide 8
The Populists and the Greenbacks
A Populist Party poster
Duration: 00:00:25
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A “greenback”
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Many farmers began to believe that they were
being overcharged by the railroads for shipping
their farm products to market. The farmers
began to work together and create farmer’s
alliances. These granges, as they were called,
allowed farmers to pool their resources in order
to purchase machinery and supplies. The
granges also allowed farmers to cooperatively
sell their farming products more cost-effectively.
Notes:
The growth of the Grange movement eventually
helped lead the way to a larger, political
movement. Farmers who had long been
suffering from low crop prices, high
transportation costs, and high debt eventually
organized the Populist movement. The Populists
favored the use of paper money, called
greenbacks, to increase the nation’s money
supply and ease the burden of farmers by raising
prices.
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Slide 9
Notes:
Bimetalism and Regulation of
Business
Duration: 00:00:29
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The debate over bimetalism
Slide 10
The Populists also adopted a “free silver” policy
by which they supported basing the U.S. dollar
on silver as well as gold. This position became
known as “bimetalism.” The Populists believed
that this would pump more money into the
economy and ease the farmers’ financial
problems. Populists also wanted more
regulation of business…especially the
railroads…in an effort to fight high shipping
costs! Essentially, they wanted the government
to regulate railroad freight charges.
Notes:
Munn v Illinois and Wabash v Illinois
A number of states passed laws that limited how
much railroads could charge. These laws were
upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in cases such
as Munn v. Illinois. In this case the Court said
that states had the right to regulate certain
businesses within the state. However, in the
case, Wabash v. Illinois, the Supreme Court
asserted that railroad traffic that crossed state
lines could only be regulated by Congress.
Duration: 00:00:26
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Slide 11
Notes:
Interstate Commmerce Act and the
ICC
In 1887 Congress passed the Interstate
Commerce Act that provided for the creation of
the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate
railroad rates, among other things. The act was
eventually signed into law by President Grover
Cleveland.
Duration: 00:00:14
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The Interstate Commerce Act created the Interstate Commerce Commission
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Slide 12
Notes:
Omaha Platform
Duration: 00:00:49
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The
Populist
Party
Slide 13
Election of 1896
Duration: 00:00:21
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William Jennings Bryan
A political party grew out of this movement, the
Populist Party, or the People’s Party because it
represented the common man. The Populist
Party favored both the farmers and the working
classes of the northeast. In 1892 the Populist
Party met in Omaha, Nebraska to adopt a
political platform. This statement of party beliefs
became known as the “Omaha Platform.” The
platform supported unlimited coinage of silver
(“free silver”), government regulation of industry
(including the railroads!), a graduated income
tax, and direct election of U.S. Senators. At this
time U.S. Senators were elected by state
legislators…not the people of each state!
Populists wanted the power of government
returned to the working people!
Notes:
The Election of 1896 brought the Populist’s ideas
to the national spotlight. The nation was in one
of the worst economic depressions that it had
experienced. The Democratic party nominated
William Jennings Bryan. Bryan supported
bimetalism to spur inflation, which would raise
the prices of farm products and ultimately benefit
farmers.
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Slide 14
Notes:
Cross of Gold Speech
Duration: 00:00:19
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A political cartoon
representing William
Jennings Bryan’s
“Cross of Gold” speech
Slide 15
Notes:
William McKinley wins the Election of
1896
Duration: 00:00:17
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In a speech to the Democratic Convention Bryan
made his famous “Cross of Gold speech.” In
this speech he states his support of bimetalism
by saying, “You shall not press down upon the
brow of labor the crown of thorns, you shall not
crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!”
William McKinley
becomes President
after the Election of 1896!
Slide 16
The Republican party had nominated William
McKinley. McKinley had the support of the
northeastern states, larger cities, and big
business leaders. McKinley won the Election of
1896. Bryan’s loss marks the end of the
influence of the Populist Party.
Notes:
Industrialization and the Progressives
Although the Populist party lost power, many of
it’s political reforms would be instituted during the
coming period of Industrialization in the United
States. A new political group, known as the
Progressives, would take up the fight!
Duration: 00:00:14
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The Progressives are about to arrive on the political stage!
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Slide 17
Citations
Duration: 00:00:05
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Credits
1.Farm:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Haskell_County,_Kansas._This_place...belong(s)_to_Mennonite_far
mers,_of_whom_there_are_several_in_th_._._._-_NARA_-_522088.jpg;
Granger:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gift_for_the_grangers_ppmsca02956u.jpg;
Railroad:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Transcontinental_RR_1944-3c.jpg
2. Homestead: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Homestead_arc595307_A.png; Prairie:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prairie_Homestead.jpg
Notes:
Credits
3.Promontory Point:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joining_the_tracks_for_the_first_transcontinental_railroad,_Promontory,_Ut
ah,_Terr.,_1869_-_NARA_-_513341.jpg
4.Plow:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plow.jpg
5. Farming costs: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kershaw_Farm_Full.JPG
6.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gift_for_the_grangers_ppmsca02956u.jpg
7. http://americafrom1865.blogspot.com/2011/09/emergence-of-class-politics-peoples.html
8.Greenback: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Greenback.jpg; Poster:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1892PopulistPoster.png
9. bimetalism: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Take_your_choice.png
10.Munn v Illinois: http://www.harwich.edu/depts/history/pp/gilded/sld046.htm
11. ICC:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US-InterstateCommerceCommission-Seal.png
12. People’s Party: http://historymartinez.wordpress.com/2010/10/24/populist-party-powerpoint/
13. Bryan: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_Jennings_Bryan.jpg
14.Cross of Gold: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cross_of_gold_speech_cartoon.jpg
15.McKinley: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_mckinley.jpg
16.Progressives:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Theodore_Roosevelt_Progressive_Party_Cartoon,_1912_copy.jpg
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