Populism and Progressivism 9.1 Intro

D. Hales
Swansea High School
US History

​VSC 9.1: Populism

Students will explain, debate and analyze the causes and effects of the US Populist movement of the 1880s and 1890s

​Learning Objective

Standard 3: Demonstrate an understanding of how innovation and industrialization impacted demographic change, reform movements, and American identity from 1862–1924.

​Standard

SC College and Career Ready Social Studies Standards--2019

​What was this period about?

***Trying to improve the problems caused by railroads and the Industrial Revolution

***Wanted the government to end laissez-faire policies​

POPULISM--Tended to focus more on the concerns of farmers and people who lived in rural areas

PROGRESSIVISM--Tended to focus more on the concerns of people who lived in cities​

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​Populism

Starts with the Farmer Alliances of the 1880s--wanted the government to regulate railroads, the rich to pay more in taxes and they wanted the coinage of silver

--Farmers are angry that the Democrats and Republicans are not listening to them

--1892 they meet in Omaha to form a new party--Populist Party​

Subject | Subject

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G_OS1O5Bd4

Multiple Choice

Which is NOT true about Populism? (Two things)

• It was a reform movement that tried to improve the conditions of common people

• It was mostly centered around farmers and people who lived in rural areas

• It was supported by wealthy elites such as bankers and rail road owners

• It was mostly centered in large urban areas

​Omaha Convention

--Farmers hurt by overproduction, expensive RR rates to ship their crops. They demand the Populists take action.

--What is a political platform? A list of all the things a party stands for, what they intend to do if they win office

--Populists meet in Omaha, NE in 1892 to discus​s what they will do if they win the Presidency.

Many farmers are "silverites"--they want silver coins; not gold (gold-bugs)​

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​Omaha Platform--1892

For farmers:

​--Bimetallism (advocated making gold and silver coins)

--Graduated income tax

--Public ownership of RR, phones and telegraph companies​

For workers in the city:​

​--8 hr work day, secret ballot, direct election of senators, freedom to put referendums on the ballot

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​1892 Election

--Populist James B Weaver runs for President. He loses, but gets over 1 million votes and carries five states (ND, KS, CO, NV, ID)

--CLOSE ELECTION: Takes votes away from the Re​publican Party; allows the Democratic candidate to win (Grover Cleveland)

What's the lesson? If the Republicans or Democrats want to get more votes, they need to listen to the ​farmers and other populists

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Multiple Choice

Term used to describe a list of principles that a political party stands for and wants to make into laws if they win

• Lecturn

• Platform

• Elector

• Delegate

Multiple Choice

City where Populists met in 1892 to choose a presidential candidate and write a platform

• Omaha

• St. Louis

• Cleveland

• Detroit

Multiple Choice

Which was NOT a law or policy favored by farmers who supported the Populist party?

• Government ownership of railroads, telegraphs and telephones

• Coinage of silver

• Laissez-Faire

• Graduated income tax

Multiple Choice

Who did the Populists hope to earn their support by calling for an 8 hour workday and secret ballots?

• Native Americans

• Workers in urban areas

• Wealthy elites

• Women

Multiple Choice

1892 Populist candidate for President--He loses the election but wins over 1 million votes and shows the popularity of populist ideas

• William McKinley

• Grover Cleveland

• James B Weaver

• William Jennings Bryan

1896 Election

Democrats decide to undercut Populist support by making their ideas part of the Democratic platform

--Run William Jennings Bryan for President​: great speechmaker ("Cross of Gold" speech) advocates bimetallism. Populist Party decide to support him to.

--vs. William McKinley: Republican who favors the gold standard.​

In the election, Bryan didn't try to appeal as much to urban workers or African American voters​, many of whom were farmers. Other populists were split on whether they should run their own candidate. Result--Bryan loses and the Republican McKinley becomes President. Soon after gold is discovered in AK and South Africa--farm prices and gold availability go up

END OF POPULIST PARTY​

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​Failed 1892 Populist presidential candidate

​​James B. Weaver

​Failed Populist/Democratic candidate in 1896; failed Democratic candidate in 1900, 1908

​​William Jennings Bryan

Multiple Choice

Candidate who ran and lost the presidential race in 1896. He gave the famous "Cross of Gold" speech but failed to appeal to urban workers or African Americans.

• James B Weaver

• William McKinley

• Grover Cleveland

• William Jennings Bryan

​Why was the Populist Party important?

*Third Parties provide an outlet for minority groups to voice new ideas that mainstream politicians (Democrats and Republicans) do not usually support. 

• For example, the farmers were upset at the railroad companies for always changing their prices and charging higher prices for shorter distances. Finally, the Republican Party listened and passed the Interstate Commerce Act to regulate businesses

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​What laws did the Populists help get passed?

Interstate Commerce Act	Tried to regulate railroad rates
Sherman Antitrust Act	Tried to restrict the growth of monopolies
16th Amendment	Taxed citizens on income, not land (called a "Graduated Income Tax")
17th Amendment	Elected United States Senators directly by the people's vote

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Multiple Choice

Law that attempted to stop the growth of monopolies

• Interstate Commerce Act

• 16th Amendment

• 17th Amendment

• Sherman Anti-Trust Act

Multiple Choice

Law that attempted to regulate the amount railroads charged to ship farmers' products

• 16th Amendment

• 17th Amendment

• Interstate Commerce Act

• Sherman Anti-Trust Act

Multiple Choice

Law that allowed people to vote directly for their senators

• 17th Amendment

• 16th Amendment

• Sherman Anti-Trust Act

• Interstate Commerce Act

Multiple Choice

Law that created a graduated income tax so rich people would pay more

• 17th Amendment

• Sherman Anti-Trust Act

• Interstate Commerce Act

• 16th Amendment

Multiple Select

Why did the Populists lose support after the 1896 election? Select all that apply.

• Internal disagreements over how to nominate candidates

• Prices rise for farmers

• Most Americans no longer support a graduated income tax or a 8 hr work day

• The discovery of more gold allows for an expansion of the money supply.

Audio Response

Imagine you were a Populist speaking at the 1892 Omaha convention. Write a short two minute speech mentioning three things you would do to help farmers if you were elected to office. (Hint: go back and review the items listed in the Omaha Platform)

Open Audio Recorder

Open Ended

Compare and contrast: How were the populists and progressive movements similar? How were they different?