Populist (People’s) Party SWBAT: Examine the Populist Party platform, & describe how the platform illustrated politics, economics, & culture during the Gilded Age

Do Now Practicing Historical Thinking Skills: After reading the excerpt from Jane Addams’, “Twenty Years at Hull House”, complete the two questions that follow with your partner *Place your responses on your notesheet from yesterday  http://mrfarshtey.net/classes/Gilded-politics.pdf

Populism Why does this movement develop? Farmers were in trouble because of: Mechanization - More machines = more debt New Farm Land- More land (on credit) = more debt Specialization of Crops - Farmers only raise one crop (leads to trouble if that crop has problems, or the price decreases) Disasters - floods, boll-weevil, grasshoppers Corporate Greed- Barbed wire trust, Harvester Trust, Fertilizer Trust, Banks, & Railroads

Populism “What you farmers need to do is raise less corn and more Hell!” - Mary Elizabeth Lease (1890) Populist Organizer

Populism Populist Party, 1892 Some Democrats Grange Farmers Alliances Green-back Labor Farmers Alliances Grange

Populism Read “A History of Populism” Complete the questions below: What is Populism? Review: Who were the Know-Nothings? What happened to the Populists? In what ways has Populism returned?

Populist Party Platform (aka the Omaha Platform) Analyze the platform of the Populists, and their short and long term accomplishments Record your inferences and conclusions in the space provided

Share Out! Each group needs to share 2 different ways in which the Populist Party Platform illustrated political, economic, and cultural/social aspects of the Gilded Age

Presidential Election of 1892 Grover Cleveland (D) Benjamin Harrison (R) James B. Weaver (P)

Cleveland (D) wins! What was the effect of the 3rd Party (P) in this election?

Populism Cross of Gold Speech (July 8, 1896) Delivered by William Jennings Bryan in closing the debate on the party platform at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1896 In his attack on the thesis that gold was the only sound backing for currency, Bryan closed with the words, “You shall not press down on the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind on a cross of gold” Bryan was nominated as their candidate for president In November he lost to the Republican candidate, William McKinley Cartoonists Criticism: "THE SACRILEGIOUS CANDIDATE.  No man who drags into the dust the most sacred symbols of the Christian world is fit to be president of the United States." 

McKinley (R) wins! What was the significance of this election?

Significance of 1896 Election Defeat of Bryan & Populist “free silver” movement  era of Republican control of presidency & Congress Populist party declined Much of their agenda adopted by Dems & Reps during the Progressive Era Victory for big business, urban centers, middle class values Last hope of rural America to reclaim its dominance in politics (Jefferson & Jackson) Beginning of modern politics McKinley brought U.S. onto world stage as a major player in international affairs Used modern fundraising techniques (mass media)  $3.5 million raised for the campaign (100 million today!)

Wrap Up/Review Explain what inspired agrarian activists to create the Populist (People’s) Party? Summarize in three sentences the platform of the Populist Party. Compare/Contrast how Democrats, Republicans, and Populists viewed economic and political issues (tariffs, currency, business, role of government)? If I belonged to (choose a social group), I would join the (choose a political party).

Extension Review Crash Course: Gilded Age Politics