Changes on the Western Frontier Chapter 5

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/civil/homested_2http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/civil/homested_2 http://www.nps.gov/home/index.htm Changes on the Western FrontierChapter 5 Section 1: Cultures Clash on the Prairie Section 2: Settling on the Great Plains Section 3: Farmers & the Populist Movement http://students.ou.edu/M/Chad.A.Morris-1/photo.htm http://www.nebraskahistory.org/lib-arch/research/photos/highlite/butcher/photos.htm http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/ndfahtml/ngp_farm_threshing.html http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blfarm1.htm http://honoringtheinventor.blogspot.com/2008/12/cast-steel-plow.html

Economic Crisis • Greenbacks – Paper money issued during the Civil War that could not be exchanged for hard currency (silver or gold). • Government began to retire greenbacks which caused the value of the money in circulation to increase. • Significance: Farmers were paying back their loans with money that was worth more than the dollars they had borrowed.

Inflation is when there is more $$ in circulation but the value of the $$ goes down. More $$ Value goes Deflation is when there is less $$ in circulation but the value of the $$ goes up. Less $$ Value goes Inflation vs. Deflation

Long Haul v. Short Haul B C A Railroads D Rate for the ABC Railroad Rate for the ADC Railroad Rate for AB Trip Rate for AD Trip

The Grange • Grange a.k.a. Patrons of Husbandry • *Oliver H. Kelley • *1867 • *An organization to provide a social outlet and an educational forum for isolated farm families. • *Became a political organization to fight the unfair treatment of farmers by railroads. http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/ohkf/articleok.html

Farmers’ Alliance • Members were farmers and those that sympathized with the farmers cause. • Sent lecturers to educate people about the issues • Mary Elizabeth Lease • Southern Alliance – largest • White Southern Farmers • Northern Alliance • Colored Farmers’ National Alliance

Mary Elizabeth Lease • Famous Slogan: • “Raise Less Corn and More Hell” http://www.kshs.org/portraits/lease_mary.htm http://www.kancoll.org/khq/1968/68_2_clanton.htm

The Populist Movement • Populism – the movement of the people • Populist Party (a.k.a. People’s Party) was founded in 1892 • Members • Farmers • Workers • Those who sympathize with worker’s and farmer’s causes

Populist Platform • Economic Reform • 1. Increase in money supply • 2. Graduated Income Tax • 3. Federal Loan Program • Governmental Reform • 4. Direct Election of U.S. Senators • 5. Single Terms for President and V.P. • 6. Secret Ballot • Labor Reform • 7. Eight hour work day • 8. Limits on Immigration

Populist Do Well • Populist candidates capture 5 Senate seats, 3 Governor’s Mansions, and 1,500 State Legislature Positions. • Populist Platform will eventually be revisited during the Progressive Era and ultimately will become the Democratic Party’s Platform. • It kept alive the idea that the government is responsible for reforming social injustice.

Panic of 1893 and Depression • Bankrupt Railroads • Wall Street takes a dip • 15,000 businesses fail • 500 banks close • 3 million out of work / 20% unemployment

Central issue of the Election of 1896 was which metal would be the basis of the nation’s monetary system. Silver or Gold

Election of 1896 • William McKinley – Republican • William Jennings Bryan – Democrat • Cross of Gold Speech • Bryan selected as the Populist Party Candidate as well. • McKinley’s election caused the collapse of the Populism Party.

Farming Becomes a Business http://www.hippocampus.org/US%20History%20II

Changes on the Western Frontier Chapter 5