Chapter 20: Rise of the Populists

Explain the reasons for farmers’ economic distress in the years 1870-1900.

1. Overproduction

2. Overbuilt Railroad

3. Gold Standard

4. Stock market crash

5. bad weather

Name and locate the organizations formed by farmers to solve these problems, including the types of people who joined.

• The Grange was based in the Midwest

• The Northern & Southern Alliances was based in Illinois & Texas

• The Populist Party was based in the MW

All were started and involved poor farmers

List the measures adopted by the Farmers’ Alliances to help solve their problems.

1. built warehouses for non-perishable crops

2. Built grain mills

3. Populist party

4. Established alliances

List the Ocala demands.

1. Regulation of Railroads

2. Government loans @ low rates

3. Income tax to replace tariffs

4. Direct election of senators

5. No absentee land ownership

6. Silver standard

Trace the rise and fall of the Populist Party, explaining its rapid rise and rapid fall.

• Farmers in the west started it as alliances 1870’s

• By 1890, was a political party

• turned tides during panic of 93

• WJB ran for presidency

• Gold was found & the party died out

Explain the purpose of Coxey’s Army, and examine its success.

A large strike-march of unemployed workers (DC, 1894) designed to employ more workers and circulate more paper money. It had a low turnout & Congress refused, but paved the way for future political marches.

Describe the causes and effects of the Pullman strike, the Homestead strike, and the Cripple Creek miner’s strike.

Pullman Strike

1. causes: Panic of 1893 causes Pullman cars to lower employees wages by 25%

2. effects: Cleveland sent in federal troops

Homestead Strike

1. causes: Homestead boss lowered wages and refused to reverse, hired Pinkertons to intervene

2. effects: failed after fed. troops intervened

Cripple Creek miner’s strike

1. causes: miners workdays were lengthened, but pay was the same

2. effects: successful

Identify William Jennings Bryan and the principles he stood for.

1. Three-time presidential candidate

2. advocated for working class, poor farmers, traditional religious values

3. anti-imperialism

4. democratic reform & populist policies

Identify Eugene Debs and his role in the workers’ movements.

Unionist & labor leader who led the Pullman Strike & others. He also helped start the Socialist Party of America.

Describe the major organizations run by women: the WCTU and Suffrage.

The Women’s Christian Temperance Union:

• advocated less alcohol consumption due to alcohol abuse (usually by husbands)

• campaigned for labor laws, kindergarten, prison reform, public health, sanitation, & anti-prostitution

Suffrage Movements such as NWSA (National Women’s Suffrage Association started by Susan B. Anthony) and AWSA helped advocated for women’s rights