5. These are valuable tools for the propagandist They make a political point without naming names

6. All are examples of this

7. Another story …. One you are certainly familiar with... Is a parable about Populism

8. In fact, you almost certainly saw the movie that was based on this book. The books about Populism

9. Lets review populism….

10. A turn-of-the- century movement

11. took root in the mid-west …. The farm belt

12. Farmers had borrowed money to buy modern (for that time) equipment. Just like today, they relied on a good economy and good weather to allow them to repay the loans.

13. Farmers were having difficulty paying off the loans due to deflation and (What is deflation?) What happens to value when there is too little of something? Thats when too few dollars are in circulation

14. To make matters worse, their income could be impacted by weather such as...

15. Bankers, industrialists and government turned a deaf ear when farmers suggested an increase in the money supply

16. High immigration kept industry wages low While farmers re-paid loans with dollars that were worth more than those they borrowed

17. High immigration kept industry wages low While farmers re-paid loans with dollars that were worth more than those they borrowed

18. Populists wanted free minting of silver to increase the money supply They suggested a 16:1 to ratio

19. There had been silver strikes in Montana and elsewhere in the Northwest. MORE SILVER! Uncle Sugar, the bankers and the industrialists liked things as they were

20. They told the farmers to leave economics to people smart enough to understand

21. Populists decided to take things in their own hands

22. They supported a presidential candidate who was... A Great Orator... He could hold a crowd spellbound

23. Ran for President and lost Three times

24. O.K. Lets take a look at the story

25. How are silver and gold measured? By the ounce, of course

26. …and what is the abbreviation for ounce? Does that ring a bell?

27. Where does the story begin? Right in the middle of the farm belt

28. Who goes to Oz? Dorothy and Toto... …and Toto … en toto En toto …. In total … all together….. Dorothy represents...

31. Her house lands on the Wicked Witch of the... who is wearing... No, they were made of

32. Her house lands on the Wicked Witch of the... who is wearing... No, they were made of

33. The movie was filmed using a WONDERFUL NEW PROCESS called...

34. The studio executives decided ruby shoes would show off the new film process with their sparkling red color.

35. Dorothy meets the good witch of the... Where was a silver strike? Is Montana in the North? … and how about gold strikes? And Alaska is …….

36. She tells Dorothy to put on the silver slippers and follow the...

38. Lets take a moment to examine... Could that represent the silver/gold parity?

39. Might the Wicked Witch of the East represent and ?

40. As Dorothy headed down the road, she met….

42. WHO DO YOU SUPPOSE SCARECROW REPRESENTS?

43. He had been told how simple and stupid he was... Was he really stupid?

44. Then they met... Who wanted a...

45. He had been de-humanized by working too hard Who might Tin Man represent? Who else had been de- humanized?

46. He had been de-humanized by working too hard Who might Tin Man represent? Who else had been de- humanized?

47. Remember the immigrants? Those poor souls who so outnumbered jobs that their value was nil?

48. … and maybe the Munchkins – those poor little people who lived in a land ruled by the Wicked Eastern Witch – represent them too

49. They next met…. Who wanted ….

50. He was ALL ROAR with no substance Hmmmmm… a great orator …. Unable to follow through Who might the lion represent? …perhaps Bryan???

51. We arent finished yet

52. Who tried to keep them away from Oz? The Wicked Witch of the... WEST

53. Weather systems in the northern hemisphere move from….

54. What kind of weather plagued the farmers?

55. Remember 1860, 1880s?

56. …and what is the cure for drought?

57. WATER! H 2 O

58. …and what destroyed the Wicked Witch of the West?

59. Who did Dorothy and the rest think could solve their problems? …and could he??? He was a charlatan!

60. The Wizard claimed all sorts of powers he really didnt possess Who or what does he represent? Who claims to be able to solve ALL ALL of our problems even though they cant?

61. The Wizard claimed all sorts of powers he really didnt possess Who or what does he represent? Who claims to be able to solve ALL of our problems even though they cant?

62. Who claimed to be all knowing and best equipped to make decisions? Do you think the wizard might represent the government?

63. In fact, according to the story, who had the power to get Dorothy home? She did!

64. …and according to the Populists, who really has the power, the authority to make decisions?

65. Who has the power to determine what becomes of us …. Where we go? Each of us controls his own destiny

66. L. Frank Baum never actually said his story was about Populism But HE WAS a populist Everything fits so well it seems a shame to let it go to waste …and besides

68. Music wav files (excluding clips from The Wizard of Oz) SoundAmerica.com Wizard of Oz clips (from the MGM movie) Clays Wizard of Oz Page http://www.slonet.org/~rloomis (these have had further editing) Images: Non-Character images Witch Man and Hat M/S clipart files Other characters © J. M. Joeb The Wizard of Oz L. Frank Baum … just one more example of political statements being made through the arts. Looney Toons Theme (Warner Bros.) http://Frogstar.com

69. … just one more example of political statements being made through the arts.

70. This Power Point Presentation © J. M. Joeb www.teacherjoe.com Permission for educational use is granted.