Populist (People’s) Party - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Populist (People’s) Party

SWBAT:

Examine the Populist Party platform, & describe how the platform illustrated politics, economics, & culture during the Gilded AgeSlide2

Do Now

Practicing Historical Thinking Skills:

After reading the excerpt from Jane Addams’, “Twenty Years at Hull House”, complete the two questions that follow with your partner

*Place your responses on your notesheet from yesterday  Slide3

Populism

Why does this movement develop?

Farmers were in trouble because

of:Mechanization - More machines = more debtNew

Farm

Land- More

land (on credit) = more debtSpecialization of Crops - Farmers only raise one crop (leads to trouble if that crop has problems, or the price decreases)Disasters - floods, boll-weevil, grasshoppersCorporate Greed- Barbed wire trust, Harvester Trust, Fertilizer Trust, Banks, & RailroadsSlide4

Populism

“What

you farmers

need to

do is raise less corn and

more Hell

!” - Mary Elizabeth Lease (1890) Populist OrganizerSlide5

Populism

Some DemocratsSlide6

Populism

Read “A History of Populism”

Complete the questions below:

What is Populism?Review: Who were the Know-Nothings?What happened to the Populists?In what ways has Populism returned?Slide7

Populist Party Platform

(aka the Omaha Platform)

Analyze the platform of the Populists, and their short and long term accomplishments

Record your inferences and conclusions in the space providedSlide8

Share Out!

Each group needs to share

2

different ways in which the Populist Party Platform illustrated political, economic, and cultural/social aspects of the Gilded AgeSlide9

Presidential Election of 1892

Grover Cleveland (D)

Benjamin Harrison (R)

James B. Weaver (P)Slide10

Cleveland (D) wins! What was the effect of the 3

rd

Party (P) in this election?Slide11

Populism

Cross of Gold

Speech

(July 8, 1896)Delivered by William Jennings Bryan in closing the debate on the party platform at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1896In his attack on the thesis that gold was the only sound backing for currency, Bryan closed with the

words,

“You shall not press down on the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind on a cross of

gold” Bryan was nominated as their candidate for presidentIn November he lost to the Republican candidate, William McKinley

Cartoonists Criticism: "THE SACRILEGIOUS CANDIDATE.  No man who drags into the dust the most sacred symbols of the Christian world is fit to be president of the United States." Slide12

McKinley (R) wins! What was the significance of this election?Slide13

Significance of 1896 Election

Defeat of Bryan & Populist “free silver” movement

 era of Republican control of presidency & Congress

Populist party declinedMuch of their agenda adopted by Dems & Reps during the Progressive EraVictory for big business, urban centers, middle class values

Last hope of rural America to reclaim its dominance in politics (Jefferson & Jackson)

Beginning of modern politics

McKinley brought U.S. onto world stage as a major player in international affairsUsed modern fundraising techniques (mass media)  $3.5 million raised for the campaign (100 million today!)Slide14

Wrap Up/Review

Explain what inspired agrarian activists to create the Populist (People’s) Party?

Summarize in three sentences the platform of the Populist Party.

Compare/Contrast how Democrats, Republicans, and Populists viewed economic and political issues (tariffs, currency, business, role of government)?If I belonged to (choose a social group), I would join the (choose a political party).Slide15

Extension Review

Crash Course: Gilded Age Politics