Farmers' Challenges & Responses - SS.912.A.3.1

Farmers' Challenges & Responses - SS.912.A.3.1

Analyze the economic challenges to American farmers and farmers’ responses to these challenges in the mid to late 1800s.

Fill in the Blank

The _________ Act promised settlers cheap land (160 acres) if they settled or improved the land and stayed for five years.

Multiple Select

Select all of the true statements about the Homestead Act

• It encouraged westward migration

• Farmers found the land difficult to grow crops on

• It excluded African Americans

• It contributed the US becoming a major food exporter

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was NOT a problem faced by farmers?

• Overproduction

• Rising crop prices

• Debt and foreclosure

• High shipping costs

Fill in the Blank

Farmers began to _______ in response to their problems, creating organizations like the Grange and Farmers' Alliances.

Fill in the Blank

_______ is the backing of a currency with both gold and silver.

Multiple Select

Select all of the true statements about the Populist Party

• They were unable to get any of their party members elected

• They called for the regulation of railroad companies

• They supported bimetallism

• They did not want common people to have a stronger voice in the government

Multiple Choice

The Cross of Gold speech was delivered by William Jennings Bryan in support of

• the gold standard

• deflation

• bimetallism

• the Homestead Act

Exit Ticket

Multiple Choice

What did the Homestead Act do?

• It limited immigration
• It regulated businesses
• It increased the tariff
• It gave free land to those who settled in the West

Multiple Choice

Which political party hoped to represent the working class, calling for government ownership of railroads, bimetallism, and direct election of senators?

• Populist Party

• Republican Party

• Democratic Party

• Free Soil Party

Multiple Choice

Which caused the rise of Populism?

• rising agricultural prices
• The use of silver instead of greenbacks
• Calls for racial segregation
• The inability of farmers to pay off their debts

Multiple Choice

"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."

In this speech, who was being crushed and by what?

• Bankers by the gold standard

• Farmers by the gold standard

• Industrialists by bimetallism

• William Jennings Bryan by the silver standard

Multiple Choice

Why did the Populist party want unlimited coinage of silver?

• To increase the amount of money in circulation and raise farm prices

• To reduce economic inflation

• To raise campaign contribution limits

• To decrease the bargaining power of labor unions