1. 1890 Populist Convention, NE
The Populist Movement
1890 Populist Convention, NE

2. The West Largely unsettled due to poor farming conditions
Advances in technology allow for settlers to start farming the west.
John Deere invents the
steel plow
Barbed wire invented

3. Family Farming to…

4. …Bonanza Farming.

5. McCormick begins mass-producing a reaper (harvests crops)
McCormick begins mass-producing a reaper (harvests crops). It speeds up harvesting allowing for more crops to be grown.

6. Gold
Gold discovered in several western states, causing more people to move west
This causes problems
with Native Americans

7. The Homestead Act
Congress will give 160 acres of land to any person willing to move west.
Many African Americans leave the South during this time period.

8. The abundance of open land and the growth of cities leads to an increase in the demand for beef.
This leads to an increase in cattle ranching out west.

9. Transcontinental Railroad
Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act in 1862
Provided funds for the construction of a transcontinental railroad between the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific
Offered public land to each company for the construction of the railroad

10. 2 groups of immigrants built the railroad – the Chinese and Irish
Both worked for $1/day ($13 dollars/day roughly)
The completion of the railroad sped up travel time between the east and west coast
Also allowed for the easy transportation of people and goods

11. Native American Response
Westward expansion caused problems with the Native Americans.
After the Civil War the US had 3 different policies:
Move Them
Kill Them
Assimilate Them

12. Move Them
Kill Them
Forced tribes onto reservations
Reservations were run by the government
Many officials were corrupt and stole money intended for the reservations.
Not all Native Americans went peacefully
Atrocities occurred on both sides
Battle of Little Bighorn
Wounded Knee

13. Assimilate Them
Congress gave money to Native Americans to make them more “American”
Natives did not trust the US
The Dawes Act – congress broke up Indian reservations and sold the land, the Native Americans did not get anything from the sale.

15. Education
The Morrill Act – gave federal land to states for agricultural colleges (eventually 109 founded)
Clemson and SC State were started due to this act

16. Farmers out West
Railroads, Technology and the Homestead Act opened west to settlement
Farmers had several issues though:
Drought
Low crop prices due to overproduction
Buying new equipment put them in debt

17. What made farmers unhappy?
Increase in crop production
New Equipment
Larger supply of crops for sale
Decrease in crop prices
Struggle to pay bills
Less Profit
What made farmers unhappy?
Increase in DEBT

18. The Money Debate
After the Civil War the US removed greenbacks (soft money) and only used gold and silver coins (hard money)
US uses the Gold Standard
Means there is less money in circulation
Hurt farmers – received less for their crops
Farmers wanted to print more greenbacks

19. Era of Deflation Late 19th Century (late 1800’s)
Deflation – decrease in the amount of money in circulation
Caused a decline in consumer spending
Caused economic depressions in 1873, 1884, 1893

20. Agrarian to Industrial Society
Agrarian – agriculture is primary economic support
Mechanization – machines are used instead of people
Industrialization – industry is primary economic support

21. Farmers Economic Woes
Farmers blame railroads for their economic problems
Railroads charged very high prices for shipping
Different rates for different regions of the country

22. Farmers blame banks for their economic problems
Charged high interest rates on farmers
Foreclosures on farmers land
Farmers decide to organize politically

23. National Grange
Original Purpose - provide a social outlet and an educational forum for isolated farm families
Became - Labor union for farmers
spent lots of time fighting the railroads
sponsor legislation

24. National Grange Grange pooled buying power of
farmers to buy equipment cheaper
elect representatives to state legislator

25. Populist Party Populism Leaders realized the movement of the people
party demanded reform
lift the burden of debt that the farmers
were suffering
Leaders realized
needed to build a base of political
power to make the true changes

26. Proposed Reform Increased money supply Graduated income tax
Federal loan program
Direct election of Senators
Restrictions on Immigration
8 hour work day

27. Election of 1896 Main campaign issue 2 schools of thought economy
money and what it would be backed by
2 schools of thought
Silverites
Gold Bugs

28. Silverites Supported Bimetallism (gold and silver in the economy)
Wanted the unlimited coinage of silver
Support came from
Farmers and Laborers
South and West
Democrats

29. Gold Bugs Favored the Gold Standard Support came from
Gold main source of money
Support came from
Businessmen, bankers and industrial leaders
New England
Republicans

30. Election of 1896 Republican – William McKinley
Democrat – William Jennings Bryan
Populist – William Jennings Bryan (different VP)
Jennings gives the “Cross of Gold” speech

31. You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns; you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."

32. Collapse of the Populists
McKinley is elected President
Populist Party collapses and members absorbed into Democrats

33. Effects of Populism Populist Party Proved Common man can organize
Grassroots movements can have an impact on the government
Ideas stayed around after party left and became laws

34. The Wizard of Oz…and Populism?
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – published in 1900
Some say its an allegory to populism
Yellow Brick Road = Gold Standard
Dorothy = Americans
Scarecrow = Populist
There are many more