1. Where does our food come from?

2. Satellite Image of Kentucky – Look at all the farms in our country!

3. FACTS
In 1870, percent of the US population was employed in agriculture
In 2004, only 5% of America’s population works in agriculture – but feeds the ENTIRE country!

4. Did farmers achieve their goal?
Populism- the people against the elite that pushes for social and political changes

5. Populist are not happy with..
Politicians blamed the farmers for overproduction while 10,000 children were dying from starvation every year.
People were forgetting about the farmers although they were the reason you had food.
Democrats and Republicans wanted money to be represented by gold, but William Jennings Bryant rather it be represented by more silver since farmers own more silver then gold.
Wall street has no government , Rich can buy for laws . Laws caused robbers / thieves . Half taking result of no jobs ( half million people without a job ) and left looking for homes .

6. In the late 19th century the Republican Party, like now, served only Wall Street, the Robber Barons, and corporate interests. The Democratic Party served urban immigrants and Southern segregationists. Ignored were the farmers and ranchers and from that sprang the Populist or People's Party.

7. Oh, the farmer comes to town With his wagon broken down
Oh, the farmer comes to town With his wagon broken down. But the farmer is the man who feeds them all. If you’ll only look and see. I think you will agree That the farmer is the man who feeds them all. The farmer is the man The farmer is the man Lives on credit till the fall; Then they take him by the hand, And they lead him from his land, And the merchant is one who gets it all.
When the banker says he broke And the merchant’s up in smoke, They forget that it’s the farmer who feeds them all. It would put them to the test If the farmer took a rest; Then they’d know that it’s the farmer who feeds them all.
The farmer is the man The farmer is the man Lives on credit till the fall;
With interests rates so high
It’s a wonder he don’t die,
For the mortgage man's the one gets it all.

8. “Nothing has done more to hurt the western part of this country than the prices for sending goods on the railroads. . . The railroads have taken over many businesses such as mine because the businesses were not able to pay high prices that the railroads charged. . .The farmers are also angry at the large railroad companies because they have become illegally involved in politics. . .” -Journalist F.B. Tracy, 1893

9. “Wall Street (the rich) own the country
“Wall Street (the rich) own the country. It is no longer a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, but a government of Wall Street (rich people). . . Our laws are [a result] of a system which robbers and thieves wear robes and honest men wear rags. . .”There are thirty men in the United States whose combined wealth is over one and one-half billion dollars. There are a half million men looking for work. . . We want money, land and transportation.” We want these rich bank owners to stop taking over homes and taking advantage of us. -Mary Ellen Lease, famous speaker of the Populist Party Parts Paraphrased from Peoples Party Convention Topeka, Kansas

10. The politicians blame us for our financial problems saying we have overproduced food. . .How can our problem be overproduction of food “when 10,000 little children starve to death every year?” They allow us to grow too much food so they can pay us less and then they refuse to sell the food so they can sell it at a high price. If they allowed all the food to go into the market then the price would go down and they will not make as much money. -Mary Ellen Lease, famous speaker of the Populist Party Parts Paraphrased from Peoples Party Convention Topeka, Kansas

11. Farmers cannot get enough money because the U. S
Farmers cannot get enough money because the U.S. government has not printed enough currency to keep up with the growing United States.

14. William Jennings Bryan
Anti- Republican
Anti-big business
Candidate for president for the populist party
“Cross of Gold” speech

15. More money you make the higher your taxes 8 hour work day
The Populist Party Platform (Statement of Political Ideas)
As a new political party, we the members of the Populist Party promise to do the following...
Government control of railroads, ownership of telephone and telegraph
More money you make the higher your taxes
8 hour work day
Restrict immigration
Secret Ballot
Direct election of Senators—Let the CITIZENS VOTE DIRECTLY
“Free Silver”

16. Make a populist party mascot!