BELLWORK
1. Describe the living conditions during the
Industrial Revolution.
2. Describe the working conditions during
the Industrial Revolution.
3. What was the Pullman Strike?
4. THINKER: As you know, consumerism
and big businesses created a large upper
class. So which groups suffered? How do
you think they were effected by these big
businesses?
Populist Party
• In July 1892, the delegates of a new political
party met to fortify their alliance:
• “We have witnessed for more than a quarter of a
century the struggles of the two great political
parties for power and plunder, while grievous
wrongs have been inflicted upon the suffering
people…. We seek to restore the government of
the Republic to the hands of THE PLAIN
PEOPLE!”
• Populist Platform; July 1892
The Populist Party
• The People’s Party, or Populist party represented
farmers, laborers and reformers, who wanted to give
power to the common people.
• After the economy took a fall in 1893, the
Populist Party fought for change.
The Populist Party Platform
1. Demand for the free and unrestricted coinage of
silver. No more gold standard!
2. Fair level of prices and labor production
3. The wealthy should bear proportion of taxation
through an income tax.
4. Government should own and operate the railroads,
telegraphs, and telephones
5. Direct legislation – voters propose a law and vote
on it
6. Direct election of U.S. Senators by the people
7. Establishment of an 8 hour work day
Gold Standard
Important People
• Mary E. Lease: worked with the Farmer’s
Alliance to form the Populist party.
• William Jennings Bryan: fought for the freesilver platform, Presidential candidate in 1896
• William McKinley: favored gold standard,
supported by Standard Oil, became President
in 1896
• Marc Hanna: Ohio Senator and close advisor
to McKinley
Election of 1896
William Jennings Bryan
VS.
William McKinley
Election of 1896
Decline of the Populist Party
• The Populist Party started to decline due
to:
– Bryan losing the Presidential election
– Discovery of Gold in Alaska in 1898
• Many of its goals were adopted as law
– Graduated income tax (16th Amendment)
– Direct election of U.S. Senators (17th
Amendment)
– Eight hour workday
CLOSURE
• Who made up the Populist Party?
• What was the Populist Party fighting for?
• Who was William Jennings Bryan?
William McKinley?
• What led to the Populist Party decline?
The Wizard of Oz
• Published by Frank
Baum in 1900
• Many people and
economists argue it was
written about the battles
of the Populist Party
• You will now read it and
decide for yourselves!
• As we read, pay attention
and fill out the graphic
organizer.