1. Rise of Populism
People Unite?

2. What we’ve studied so far… Industrial Revolution Growth in business
Quick Review
What we’ve studied so far…
Industrial Revolution
Growth in business
Rise of organized labor  unions
Immigration  why people are moving (push/pull factors)
But what about those farmers?!?!?!?

3. Gov’t stopped printing money
Farming Problems
Post-Civil War:
Too many farmers (competition)
Not enough money available
Gov’t stopped printing money
Deflation: increase in the value of money and a decrease in prices

4. Farmers started borrowing more money from the bank to pay for supplies
What did farmers do?
Farmers started borrowing more money from the bank to pay for supplies
Interest rates go up, farmers begin owing more and more (debt)
Farmers blamed big banks for influencing the gov’t

5. Solution = Farmer’s Alliance
Technology = more crops = lower prices
Organization of farmers that tried to improve the farming industry
Make loans available to farmers
Successfully raise prices through “cooperatives”
Evolves into a political party

6. Populism Populist Party or People’s Party
Formed from Farmers’ Alliance (1890s)
Movement to increase farmers’ political power
Demands:
Gov’t control of railroads
Graduated income tax
Bimetallism (They want gold and silver to be used as currency)
Increases money supply