1. Populists and Progressives 1900 to 1920 After Laissez-Faire

2. Populists and Progressives Before the Progressive movement took over in the cities there were the Populists on the farms Before the Progressive movement took over in the cities there were the Populists on the farms Populists: Farmers who in the early 1900s wanted to limit the power of big business and railroad owners and grant more rights to individual workers Populists: Farmers who in the early 1900s wanted to limit the power of big business and railroad owners and grant more rights to individual workers

3. Populists and Progressives People living in rural life felt isolated and alone and joined organizations to help each other through the hard times in the late 1800s People living in rural life felt isolated and alone and joined organizations to help each other through the hard times in the late 1800s They were losing control of their farms or small business to big business and the railroad and asked the gov’t for help They were losing control of their farms or small business to big business and the railroad and asked the gov’t for help Would the gov’t help them before 1900? Would the gov’t help them before 1900?

4. Populists and Progressives If you can’t beat them, join them If you can’t beat them, join them Little gov’t help resulted in the populists forming their own political party Little gov’t help resulted in the populists forming their own political party The Populist Party! The Populist Party!

5. Populists and Progressives Populist Party: A political party fighting for farmers rights against big business owners and the railroad Populist Party: A political party fighting for farmers rights against big business owners and the railroad What did they want? What did they want? free silver, graduated income tax, a gov’t owned railroad free silver, graduated income tax, a gov’t owned railroad

6. Populists and Progressives Free Silver would make money more valuable so farmers could pay off their debts easier Free Silver would make money more valuable so farmers could pay off their debts easier This became the chief issue in the election of 1896 This became the chief issue in the election of 1896

7. Populists and Progressives

8. The Populist Party slowly disappears after two presidential election defeats (1896, 1900) but their ideas spread to the cities The Populist Party slowly disappears after two presidential election defeats (1896, 1900) but their ideas spread to the cities Soon the work of the Populists are picked up by labor unions and the common worker (Progressives) Soon the work of the Populists are picked up by labor unions and the common worker (Progressives)

9. Populist and Progressives Who were the Progressives? Who were the Progressives? Optimists Optimists City Dwellers City Dwellers Middle/Lower Class Middle/Lower Class

10. Populists and Progressives Who helped them? Who helped them? Volunteer Organizations Volunteer Organizations Magazines and Newspapers Magazines and Newspapers Improved Economy Improved Economy

11. Populists and Progressives

12. What did they fight for? What did they fight for? Better: living conditions, mandatory education for children, healthcare Better: living conditions, mandatory education for children, healthcare Women and African American rights (NAACP) Women and African American rights (NAACP) The gov’t to end Laissez-Faire The gov’t to end Laissez-Faire Regulate big business/better working conditions Regulate big business/better working conditions