Agrarian Unrest, the Grange, and the Populist Movement

Vocabulary flashcards covering farmer complaints against railroads, the Grange Movement, Granger Laws, landmark Supreme Court cases, the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, Farmers' Alliances, and the Populist Party.

Railroad Monopolies

Railroad companies operating without competition in certain towns, allowing them to charge high shipping rates to farmers who depended on them to get crops to market.

Short-Haul Shipping Rates

Railroad shipping charges for short distances that were often especially expensive due to a lack of railroad competition in local towns.

The Grange Movement

A national organization of farmers' social clubs that helped reduce rural isolation, shared farming information, established cooperatives, and organized politically.

Farmers' Cooperatives

Organizations established by members of the Grange to buy and sell goods together as a group.

Granger Laws

State laws passed after Grangers won legislative seats to regulate railroad and grain elevator rates.

Munn v. Illinois (1877)

A Supreme Court ruling that allowed an individual state to regulate a business that served the public interest.

Wabash v. Illinois (1886)

A Supreme Court ruling that states could not regulate interstate railroad commerce, establishing that federal government regulation was required.

Interstate Commerce Act of 1887

The first federal law to regulate business practices, prohibiting railroads from charging unfairly different rates or charging more for short hauls than long hauls on the same route.

Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC)

The federal agency created in 1887 to enforce the Interstate Commerce Act and regulate railroad business practices.

Farmers' Alliances

Regional political organizations in the North and South—including Northern, Southern, and Colored Farmers' Alliances—that advocated for railroad regulation and an income tax when the Grange did not solve all farm problems.

Populism

A political movement representing ordinary people, such as farmers, miners, and workers, against powerful economic elites like wealthy bankers and industrialists.

Populist Party (People's Party)

A national political party created by the Farmers' Alliances to give ordinary Americans more economic and political power.

Populist Party Platform of 1892

A political platform advocating for the direct election of U.S. Senators, secret ballot, progressive income tax, initiative and referendum, an eight-hour workday, industry regulation, and silver money.

Bimetallism

A monetary system using both silver and gold as the basis for money, supported by farmers to increase the money supply, raise crop prices, and make debts easier to repay.

Progressive Income Tax

A tax system supported by Farmers' Alliances and included in the 1892 Populist Platform where tax rates increase relative to income level.