Bell-Work: Thurs, March 14 th

1. Bell-Work: Thurs, March 14th Pick up handout from the front chair. Begin reading the first excerpt - Write a summary sentence

2. Homework • Homework due Monday: • Prepare for DBQ (prompt on homework-website) • Complete Election of 1896 document questions (on website) • Complete “Electing the President 1896” – read article and answer questions (on website) • Complete Review questions for Unit (due Wednesday)

3. Key Terms & Question • Key Terms: • Grange • Populism • People’s party • Mechanization • Essential Question: Why and how did the American farmer propose to curb the growing power of Big Business? http://www.history.com/shows/modern-marvels/videos/modern-farm-tractors-provide-comforts#modern-farm-tractors-provide-comforts

4. Political Cartoon of Farmers vs. the Railroads • Cartoon of a farmer fighting a train shaped like a serpent, with the caption "Which Will Win? The Farmer or the Railroad Monster?" The railroad's coils are wrapped around the dome of the U.S. Capitol. http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/IH165409/political-cartoon-of-farmers-vs-the-railroads

5. (a) Difficult Times for Farmers • Farmers borrow money from banks to buy new machinery • Reliance on technology rather than manual labor was known as agricultural mechanization • Use of machines resulted in overproduction (too much agricultural products) and caused crop prices to fall • Farmers could not pay costs (increased debt)

6. Agriculture was hurting after the Civil War • Falling farm prices • Unregulated railroads • Increased agricultural production in the west

8. (b) Whose to Blame • Farmers blame politicians and big businesses • Want government to regulate railroads (said overcharging them to ship goods) • Interstate Commerce Act: created Interstate Commerce Commission and regulated railroad rates • Wanted gov. to provide subsidies • Gov. pay farmers money to cover their losses due to overproduction

9. (c) What Farmers Want • Supported use of greenbacks (paper money) • Wanted dollar based on silver standard and gold standard (bimetallism) • Believed would put more money in hands of consumers (increase farm prices)

10. Solution for Farmers • Formation of agriculture organization • The Grange (Patrons of Husbandry) • Goals: • Promoted the economic, social and political welfare of the farmer • Fought monopolies (railroads) • Supported equality for women Song

14. Grange States The National Grange is active in the 37 purple states and DC

15. Populism (The People’s Party) • The concern over the farmers eventually gave rise to the Populist Movement • Populism embraced what farmers wanted, it supported the circulation of greenbacks (paper currency) • In 1892, under the official name of the People’s Party, the Populists met in Omaha, Nebraska • Here they formed the Omaha Platform. Politically, Populism appealed to the common man • It was a movement that praised agriculture as the backbone of the country and favored farmers of the South and Wes • It also sought to break down racial divisions between white and black farmers. Populists preached these 2 groups must unit to beat oppression of big business and corrupt politicians

16. Populist Platform • Supported bimetallism ($ supported by silver & gold • Use of greenbacks • Increased gov. regulation of business • 8 hour work day • Graduated income tax • Election reforms • Direct election of Senators and president • Secret ballot

17. Election of 1896 • As the country approached the presidential election of 1896, it was experiencing one of the worse economic depressions ever. • As the depression deepened in 1894, more and more people blamed President Cleveland for the worsening condition. • Cleveland blamed the silver standard for the nation’s economic woes and returned the US to a strict gold standard • This meant the dollar could only be backed by gold. Many people argued it should be based on silver too. By backing money with gold & silver, money would be more plentiful • This position supported bimetallism • Eventually populists agreed to support bimetallism and greenbacks • The silver question became a major issue of the 1896 campaign

18. Election of 1896 Democrats Republicans • William Jennings Bryan • Backed bimetallism • Won the Populist vote • Democrat party vote was divided and did not win enough votes • William McKinley • Won the election • Marked the end of the Populist Party

19. Election 1896 • Bryan, in his famous “Cross of Gold” speech, stated you shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold • Despite his abilities as a speaker and a national campaigner, Bryan could not overcome splits in the Democratic party to win enough votes. • Republican William McKinley won the presidential election of 1896 • Populism faded soon after

20. Document Analysis • Document 1- song “Farmer is the Man” • Document 2- William Jennings Bryan, “Cross of Gold” • Document 3 – Populist Party Platform • Document 4 – 1896 Populists Party Platform

21. Resources • http://www5.esc13.net/socialstudies/docs/era%206/populism_lesson_plan.pdf Populism lesson plan • Farmers lesson ppt http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agexed/aee501/organizations.html • http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/us25.cfm data analysis - Digital HS • http://www.wadsworth.com/history_d/special_features/ext/am_hist/AmerHis-ch12.html#timeline resources (primary/secondary) • http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/subtitles.cfm?titleID=30 political crisis articles • http://www.pinzler.com/ushistory/popparplatsupp.html people’s party (preamble) • http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap07_us_hist_frq.pdf DBQ • http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=159 farmers and wizard of oz • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2itQkiQUOE&feature=related Wizard of Oz clip 6/8

22. Video • http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=DE8A6C9A-3174-44DD-BBFC-10A957D1440C&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US • Homesteading: 70 years on the Great Plains, 1862-1932 • The Mid-1800s: Laying the Groundwork for Homesteading. (01:56) • The Machine Age. (03:18) • "I Live Entirely on Food Made of Corn": Agriculture on the Homestead.