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The Rise of the Populist Party: Addressing American Farmers' Struggles in the Late 1800s

In the late 1800s, American farmers faced severe challenges including overproduction, falling prices, and rising debt. This led to the emergence of the Populist Party, aiming for economic and government reforms to empower common people. Farmers struggled with high costs and low incomes, exacerbated by middlemen and monopolistic railroads. The Populists sought to increase the money supply, implement a progressive income tax, and ensure government accountability. Their influence laid the groundwork for the Progressive Movement and many reforms that shape modern governance.

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The Rise of the Populist Party: Addressing American Farmers' Struggles in the Late 1800s

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Presentation Transcript

  1. The Populist Party Platform Develops

  2. Problems facing American Farmers in the late 1800s…

  3. Overproduction • Due to: • New and more land being developed • New machinery that allowed farmers to farm more land, faster

  4. Overproduction led to… …Falling prices! WHY? Supply and Demand!

  5. Falling Prices for Farm Products • supply greater than demand • deflation – prices going down Activity: Calculate a farmer’s profit and loss as crop prices fluctuate

  6. Falling prices led to lower incomes BUT… • Farming costs remained high • Mortgage payments stayed the same • Cycle of debt worsened • Interest rates for farmers went up

  7. Outsiders caused problems for farmers as well • Middlemen were taking much of the profit • Railroads • Had monopolies in certain areas • Rebates (discounts) were offered to larger farmers

  8. Also… the “money issue” • Money was ‘tight’ • Gold Standard • Scarcity of gold meant scarcity of money • Value of money went up

  9. Quickwrite: Do think city dwellers would be gold bugs or silverites? Explain.

  10. When laborers had problems… …They formed unions!

  11. When farmers had problems… …They formed1. local Alliances2. National Groups for Political action3. The populist party

  12. The Populist Party Platform

  13. Farmers felt the rich ran the country • Wanted more democracy • Not more wealth, more commonwealth • Wanted to change the democratic system

  14. Goals of Populists: • End farmer debt • Give people a greater voice in government • Expand power of Federal government

  15. Platform of the Populists • Economic Reform: • Increase supply of money • Government loan program • Progressive, or graduated, income tax • Government control of RR and warehouse prices

  16. Government Reform: • Vote by secret ballot • Election of Senators by popular vote • Right to propose and vote directly on laws

  17. Quickwrite: How would these government reforms give common people more power in government? • Government Reform (cont…): • Single term for president • Referendum • Recall • Initiative

  18. Labor Reform: • 8-hour workday • Immigration restrictions • No government aid to corporations

  19. Election of 1896 • Who were the candidates? • Reading: A Voice for the Farmers • What were the results? • How do they show the continued regionalism of the U.S.?

  20. What is the Legacy of the populist party?

  21. Most influential 3rd party in U.S. political history • Government viewed as responsible for reforming social injustices • Almost all original Populist demands were eventually put into law • Led to the Progressive Movement

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