BELLWORK THURS MARCH 14 TH Pick up handout

BELL-WORK: THURS, MARCH 14 TH Pick up handout from the front chair. Begin reading the first excerpt - Write a summary sentence

Homework due Monday: 1. Prepare for DBQ (prompt on homeworkwebsite) 2. Complete Election of 1896 document questions (on website) 3. Complete “Electing the President 1896” – read article and answer questions (on website) Complete Review questions for Unit (due Wednesday)

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

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/IH 165409/political -cartoon-of-farmers-vs-the-railroads

(a) Difficult Times for Farmers o Farmers borrow money from banks to buy new machinery o o 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 o Farmers could not pay costs (increased debt)

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

(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

(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)

Solution for Farmers Song 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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Mc. Kinley won the presidential election of 1896 • Populism faded soon after

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

Resources http: //www 5. esc 13. net/socialstudies/docs/era%206/populism_lesson_plan. pdf Populism lesson plan Farmers lesson ppt http: //www. cals. ncsu. edu/agexed/aee 501/organizations. html http: //www. digitalhistory. uh. edu/historyonline/us 25. cfm data analysis Digital HS http: //www. wadsworth. com/history_d/special_features/ext/am_hist/Amer. H is-ch 12. html#timeline resources (primary/secondary) http: //www. digitalhistory. uh. edu/database/subtitles. cfm? title. ID=30 political crisis articles http: //www. pinzler. com/ushistory/popparplatsupp. html people’s party (preamble) http: //apcentral. collegeboard. com/apc/public/repository/ap 07_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=z 2 it. Qki. QUOE&feature=related Wizard of Oz clip 6/8

Video http: //player. discoveryeducation. com/index. cfm? gui d. Asset. Id=DE 8 A 6 C 9 A-3174 -44 DD-BBFC 10 A 957 D 1440 C&bln. From. Search=1&productcode= US Homesteading: 70 years on the Great Plains, 18621932 The Mid-1800 s: Laying the Groundwork for Homesteading. (01: 56) The Machine Age. (03: 18) "I Live Entirely on Food Made of Corn": Agriculture on the Homestead.