Changes on the Western Frontier Chapter 5 http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/civil/homested_2 http://www.nps.gov/home/index.htm Changes on the Western Frontier Chapter 5 Section 1: Cultures Clash on the Prairie Section 2: Settling on the Great Plains Section 3: Farmers & the Populist Movement http://students.ou.edu/M/Chad.A.Morris-1/photo.htm http://www.nebraskahistory.org/lib-arch/research/photos/highlite/butcher/photos.htm http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/ndfahtml/ngp_farm_threshing.html http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blfarm1.htm http://honoringtheinventor.blogspot.com/2008/12/cast-steel-plow.html

Economic Crisis Greenbacks – Paper money issued during the Civil War that could not be exchanged for hard currency (silver or gold). Government began to retire greenbacks which caused the value of the money in circulation to increase. Significance: Farmers were paying back their loans with money that was worth more than the dollars they had borrowed.

Inflation vs. Deflation Inflation is when there is more $$ in circulation but the value of the $$ goes down. More $$ Value goes Deflation is when there is less $$ in circulation but the value of the $$ goes up. Less $$ Value goes

B C A D Long Haul v. Short Haul Railroads Rate for the ABC Railroad Rate for the ADC Railroad Rate for AB Trip Rate for AD Trip

The Grange Grange a.k.a. Patrons of Husbandry *Oliver H. Kelley *1867 *An organization to provide a social outlet and an educational forum for isolated farm families. *Became a political organization to fight the unfair treatment of farmers by railroads. http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/ohkf/articleok.html

Farmers’ Alliance Members were farmers and those that sympathized with the farmers cause. Sent lecturers to educate people about the issues Mary Elizabeth Lease Southern Alliance – largest White Southern Farmers Northern Alliance Colored Farmers’ National Alliance

Mary Elizabeth Lease Famous Slogan: “Raise Less Corn and More Hell” http://www.kshs.org/portraits/lease_mary.htm http://www.kancoll.org/khq/1968/68_2_clanton.htm

The Populist Movement Populism – the movement of the people Populist Party (a.k.a. People’s Party) was founded in 1892 Members Farmers Workers Those who sympathize with worker’s and farmer’s causes

Populist Platform Economic Reform 1. Increase in money supply 2. Graduated Income Tax 3. Federal Loan Program Governmental Reform 4. Direct Election of U.S. Senators 5. Single Terms for President and V.P. 6. Secret Ballot Labor Reform 7. Eight hour work day 8. Limits on Immigration

Populist Do Well Populist candidates capture 5 Senate seats, 3 Governor’s Mansions, and 1,500 State Legislature Positions. Populist Platform will eventually be revisited during the Progressive Era and ultimately will become the Democratic Party’s Platform. It kept alive the idea that the government is responsible for reforming social injustice.

Panic of 1893 and Depression Bankrupt Railroads Wall Street takes a dip 15,000 businesses fail 500 banks close 3 million out of work / 20% unemployment

Silver or Gold Central issue of the Election of 1896 was which metal would be the basis of the nation’s monetary system. Gold Bugs Silverites Who Bankers and Business Owners Farmers & Laborers Party Republican Democrat & Populist What Gold standard Less money in circulation Bimetallism More money in circulation Why Loans would be repaid with stable money Products would be sold at higher prices

Election of 1896 William McKinley – Republican William Jennings Bryan – Democrat Cross of Gold Speech Bryan selected as the Populist Party Candidate as well. McKinley’s election caused the collapse of the Populism Party.

Farming Becomes a Business http://www.hippocampus.org/US%20History%20II