1. A PERSONAL VOICE FREDERICK JACKSON TURNER “ American social development has been continually beginning over again on the frontier. This perennial rebirth, this fluidity of American life, this expansion westward with its new opportunities, its continuous touch with the simplicity of primitive society, furnish the forces dominating American character.” —“The Significance of the Frontier in American History” A pioneer family stands in front of their soddy near Coburg, Nebraska, in 1887.

2. Bonanza farm

3. A PERSONAL VOICE MARY ELIZABETH LEASE “ What you farmers need to do is to raise less corn and more Hell! We want the accursed foreclosure system wiped out.... We will stand by our homes and stay by our firesides by force if necessary, and we will not pay our debts to the loan-shark companies until the Government pays its debts to us.” —quoted in “The Populist Uprising” Being a farmer on the Great Plains had its blessings and challenges. You owned that homestead but you had to buy seed and equipment to raise corn or grain out there. Then you might do well, but a bad hailstorm could destroy your crop. If everything went right for too many farmers supply would exceed demand and prices would drop. On top of that the railroads charged too much to haul you grain and banks wouldn’t loan you money…

4. As mentioned in Chapter 3, Andrew Jackson's war on the banking system had long-lasting effects. After the Civil war there was less cash in the economy because there was too much dependence on the “specie circular” (Coins). Farmers needed loans to improve their farms and get out of the debt they were in. In 1867 Oliver Hudson Kelley (shown above) started a group known as The Grange. First they fought the railroads in court and later they sent speakers like Mary Elizabeth Lease to speak to and train farmers how to organize.

5. Fed up with both political parties a group of farmers created the Populist Party in 1892. The next year saw the Panic of 1893, which was a big recession in the economy. The Populists, led by powerful Nebraska orator William Jennings Bryan, pushed for reforms such as a graduated income tax, larger money supply, federal loans for farmers, and direct election of senators. Note that today we have all these reforms in place. The big showdown came with the Election of 1896, which pitted the “Silverite” Bryan against the “Gold Bug” Republican William McKinley. William J. Bryan Cowardly Lion?

6. What do you think? Would bimetallism work to improve the economy at that time? Today? Why or why not?

7. A PERSONAL VOICE WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN “ Having behind us the producing masses of this nation and the world, supported by the commercial interests, the laboring interests, and the toilers everywhere, we will answer their demand for a gold standard by saying to them: You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.” —Democratic convention speech, Chicago, July 8, 1896