Challenges for Farmers Unit 2 Day 3 Challenges for Farmers Essential Question: How did railroad monopolies cause economic challenges for farmers during westward expansion?

Railroad Expansion 1865 - 1900

Railroad Monopolies Because of urbanization & industrialization, more farms were needed to support larger population Western farmers had to use railroads to ship their crops to market Many companies during this time were monopolies (one company has complete control over an industry)

Economic Challenges for Farmers High transport costs: Railroad monopolies jacked up prices Few surplus crops: Farmers had to pay more for shipment and sell more of their crops; had fewer surplus (leftover) crops The Modern Colossus of Railroads

Obstacles faced by Farmers Remote markets 2. Lack of wood, clay, rock for homes 3. Lack of wood for fencing 4. Lack of rainfall 5. Tough, dry soil 6. Lack of fuel 7. Lack of manpower

Farmers’ Solutions 1. Railroads made it possible to ship produce east 2. Sod houses 3. Barbed wire fence 4. Drilled wells, windmills brought water to surface 5. Dry farming, used steel plows to plow deeper and preserve surface moisture in the soil 6. Burnt buffalo chips for fuel 7. Machinery, horse-drawn to farm more acres with fewer workers

Farmers’ Responses to Challenges Unit 2 Day 4 Farmers’ Responses to Challenges Essential Question: How did farmers respond to the economic challenges of westward expansion?

“There are three great crops raised in Nebraska “There are three great crops raised in Nebraska. One is the crop of corn, one is a crop of freight rates, and one a crop of interest. One is produced by farmers who sweat and toil to farm the land. The other two are produced by men who sit in their offices and behind their bank counters and farm the farmers.” – Farmers’ Alliance, 1890

Farmers’ Responses to Challenges Farmers’ alliances & Populism were political movements supported by farmers Farmers’ alliances were small local organizations Populism was a national political party that had candidates who ran for President Both farmers’ alliances & Populists wanted government to regulate monopolies

Organizing Farmers’ Protests The Grange Organized in 1867 in response to farmers’ isolation by Oliver H. Kelley Helped farmers form cooperatives which bought goods in large quantities at lower prices Pressured government to regulate businesses on which farmers depended Farmers’ Alliance Another powerful political group, the Farmers’ Alliance called actions that many farmers could support. Won support for women’s rights African Americans worked through a separate but parallel “Colored Farmers’ Alliance.”

Government Response In 1887 President Cleveland signed the Interstate Commerce Act. Regulated prices that railroads charged to move freight between states. Set up the Interstate Commerce Commission to enforce laws. Government paid for agricultural education to teach people how to farm

Populist Party The Farmers’ Alliances formed a new political party, The People’s Party or the Populists.  Their platform called for: Increased circulation of money Unlimited minting of silver Progressive income tax - a greater financial burden on wealthy industrialists and less on farmers. Government-owned communications and transportation systems An eight-hour work day Sought to unite African American and white farmers. The Populist candidate for President, William Jennings Bryan, won most of the western and southern states but lost the election.   However, populist ideas lived on. In the decades ahead, reformers known as Progressives applied populist ideas to urban and industrial problems.

Bryan’s Cross of Gold During the 1896 Democratic Convention in Chicago, Bryan closed the debate with his Cross of Gold speech.   Using images from the Bible, he stood with his head bowed and arms outstretched and cried out: “You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!” So impressive was his speech that both Democrats and Populists nominated him for President.

How does The Wizard of Oz tell the story of the American economy in the late 1800s?