TOPIC 1 Farmer’s Alliances and the Populist Party Unit 2: 2 nd Industrialization and the Progressives
Aug 20, 2015
10th Grade Social Studies #10 Content Statement
Analyze and evaluate the success of progressive reforms during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in addressing problems associated with industrial capitalism, urbanization political corruption.
Read
Lesson ObjectiveAnalyze the Farmers’ Alliances and the Populist Party’s reactions to the effects of industrialization and how they created a reform agenda which contributed to the rise of Progressivism.
Writ
e
1860-1896 National Economy
Industrial production increased
Agricultural production increased
Agricultural production increases=Drop in prices
Lower Crop Prices Hurt Farmers
Farmers take out long term loans because of drop in crops prices
Farmers want more money in circulation believing it will increase crop prices—want money backed by silver to increase money circulation
Bankers oppose silver standard because it would cause inflation
Read
1. What was a major effect of the Agricultural Revolution in the United States during the
late 1800s?
Food supplies were increased to feed urban dwellers.
Writ
e
Panic 0f 1893Reading Railroad files for bankruptcy
Dependent banks/companies also collapse
Stock market crashEuropean investors pull out stocksWorsened agricultural depression
Increased political involvement of agricultural community
Severe unemployment and protest
Read
Farmers Revolt: Populist Movement
2. What economic factors upset farmers?
Farm crop prices steadily decline 1864 through 1890.
Railroads charged farmers high shipping rates.
Farmers mortgaged their farms to buy new farm machines
High tariffs increased prices of factory goods that farmers needed.
Writ
e
3. What was the Farmers’ Alliances?
They were farmer groups designed to educate farmers about organizing and petitioning state governments for more control of railroads and obtaining low interest loans.
Writ
e
railroad companies charged high rates for transporting farm products
4. During the 1870’s and 1880’s, Why did Midwestern farmers find that earning a living
was increasingly difficult?
Writ
e
force the railroads to lower freight rates
5. During the 1870’s and 1880’s, what was a main goal of Farmers’ Alliances?
Writ
e
an increase in the demand for government regulation
6. In the late 1800’s, what did many practices of the railroads lead to?
Writ
e
Farmers wanted reasonable railroad rates. This Act was the first time the federal government passed a law to regulate an industry. It called for reasonable railroad rates.
Farmers’ Reform Movements7. Define: Interstate Commerce Act, 1887
Writ
e
8. Why were the Interstate Commerce Act and the Sherman Antitrust Act
passed by Congress?
To protect the interests of small businesses
Writ
e
9. Define: Populism
MAIN IDEA: The downtrodden and “little people” could have a say in government
They began a move toward political and social reforms (Progressive Era)
Our country was in financial crisis (1893-1896)
Writ
e
10. Define: Populist Party
a political party formed in 1892 that supported free coinage of silver, work reforms, immigration restrictions, and government ownership of railroads and telegraph and telephone systems
Writ
e
11. Identify reasons for the formation of the Populist Party
Farmers wanted money to be backed by silver.
Alliance members, farmers, labor leaders, and reformers wanted to impact government policies.
Railroad monopolies were charging unfair railroad rates to farmers.
Merchants, banks, and railroads were getting richer, but farmers were in debt.
Writ
e
To help western farmers fight unjust economic practices
12. What was the goal of the Farmers’ Alliances and Populist movements?
Writ
e
Free Silver MovementLate 1800s some Americans advocated unlimited coinage of silver.
The movement was triggered by an act of Congress in 1873 that omitted the silver dollar from the list of authorized coins.
Silver became the symbol of economic justice to many American people.
Read
Free Silver Movement
Paper money was originally redeemable for either gold or silver. Then in 1873 Congress put the U.S. dollar on the gold standard, meaning that a dollar could be redeemed only for gold in the U.S. Treasury.
Farmers wanted money to be backed by silver putting more money in circulation. This would cause their crop prices to rise.
Read
13. In the late 19th century, farmers desired money backed by silver. What did farmers believe rising prices for their crops would
accomplish?
It would enable them to pay back their loans more easily
Writ
e
14. What did farmers and people in debt believe would happen if Congress
would coin silver?
Farmers believed that an expanded currency would increase the price of their crops.
Those in debt hoped it would enable them to pay their debts more easily.
Writ
e
Farmers wanted currency backed by silver, so there would be more money in circulation causing their crops to go up in price.
Why did farmers want money backed by silver?
Read
Indebted farmers wanted to improve their economic situation.
15. Explain why farmers organized themselves in the late 1800s.
Farmers’ Reform Movements
Writ
e
bank regulation, government ownership of railroads, and free coinage of silver
What were Populist Party’s goals?
Read
Bryan (the democratic candidate) made it a campaign issue, gaining Populist support and terrifying businessmen, who then gave money to the opposing Republican Party.
Bryan wanted the United States to use silver to back the dollar at a value that would inflate the prices farmers received for their crops, easing their debt burden. This position was known as the Free Silver Movement.
16. Explain the role free silver played in the election of 1896.
Writ
e
17. Why did William McKinley win the 1896 election instead of
William Jennings Bryan?
McKinley (Republican candidate) favored the gold standard and was against the coinage of silver; therefore, big business tycoons greatly supported his campaign by giving huge campaign donations.
Writ
e
18. What is the
main idea of the
political cartoon?
McKinley won because of monopolists’ contribution to his campaign; therefore, Monopolists gained even more federal political power.
Writ
e
What is the main idea of the political cartoon?
Because of their 1896 presidential campaign contributions, monopolists swallowed up the democratic party.
Read
Farmers’ reform movements
19. How were the Farmers’ Alliances and the Populist Party reactions to the effects of industrialization?
Farmers’ Alliances and the Populist Party created a reform agenda which contributed to the rise of Progressivism.
Writ
e
20. Although the Populist faded after the election, what
legacy did they leave?
The downtrodden (the poor farmers and working class) could organize and have political impact.
Many of the ideas of the Populist Party Platform became law during the first years of the 20th Century.
Writ
e