1. Populism
Mr. Turner

2. background After 1870 crop prices started to plummet
It was costing most farmers more to produce crops than they made selling them
The more crops that farmers produced the less they would cost the consumer
Farmers began to blame big businesses such as railroads and banks
Farmers would burn corn for fuel rather than sell it

3. Farmers thought that railroads were monopolies that could charge whatever they wanted for transportation
Farmers thought that banks set interest rates too high
Cost of business increased which caused farmers to mortgage their farms to pay for equipment
This made them tenement farmers - people who did not own the land they tended
Farmers felt like the country had turned its back on them

4. Farmers Unite for Change
Farmers began to organize groups to fight their problems
In 1867 Oliver H. Kelley organized a group referred to as The Grangers or the Grange
The goals were to provide education for farmers and enact regulations on the railroad companies
1870s- Grange Laws passed, which set maximum prices for rail transport, and the Interstate Commerce Commission established
Farmers’ Alliances were created in the 1870s
Goals: collectively sell crops, and get postal banks set up for low interest loans
The Colored Farmers Alliance was created to help both black and white farmers and ease racial tensions that harmed farmers

5. The Populist Party The Populist or People’s Party was created in 1892
Created and ratified their platform in Omaha, NE in 1892
Wanted the “free and unlimited coinage of silver”
Wanted government ownership of the railroads, telegraph, and telephones lines

6. Wanted a graduated income tax
Wanted excess lands owned by railroads and lands owned by aliens taken by the government and held for land grants to citizens
James B. Weaver was the first Populist candidate for President

7. Populist success
Weaver lost but gained over a million votes in the 1892 election
Three Populist governors, five senators, and ten congressmen were elected
They gained even more seats in state legislatures in 1894

8. William Jennings Bryan
Bryan was chosen as the Democratic party candidate for the election of 1896
He shared many ideas with the Populist Party
He was an advocate of the free coinage of silver and gold
Populists supported Bryan rather than nominating their own candidate

9. Cross of Gold Speech
Bryan gave the “Cross of Gold” speech to the Democratic National Convention in 1896
He argued for the free coinage of silver
He argued for the plain people, and the farmers
It ended with “you shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.”

10. Election of 1896

11. Populism’s Impact
With the defeat of Bryan, the Populist party was weakened and began to lose support all over
They would be around for another decade before dissolving
However; a lot of ideas of the Populists would be championed by the Progressive Party
Led to presidential candidates to campaign more to The People