The Gilded Age-Farmer’s Revolt• Economic Conditions• Problems with the currency• Granger Movement• Farmer’s Alliances• The Omaha Platform of 1892• The Election of 1896

Farmer’s “villains”

• The Railroads

Farmer’s “villains”

• The Railroads• High Tariffs

Farmer’s “villains”

• The Railroads• High Tariffs• High Debt

Farmer’s “villains”

• The Railroads• High Tariffs• High Debt• Inadequate Currency in circulation

Three Types of Currency

Three Types of Currency

• Greenbacks

Three Types of Currency

• Greenbacks• National Bank Notes

Three Types of Currency

• Greenbacks• National Bank Notes• Metallic Currency - gold and silver

(specie)

The Grange

• Known as the Patrons of Husbandry

• Initiated to relieve the loneliness of farmers and their families

• Also intended to be a forum where they could exchange ideas

Farmer’s Alliances

• Northwestern Alliance• Southern Alliance• Colored Farmer’s Alliance

Mary Lease

The Subtreasury Plan

The Subtreasury Plan

• Allow the farmers to store their crops in Government Warehouses

The Subtreasury Plan

• Allow the farmers to store their crops in Government Warehouses

• Have the government loan them 80% of the value of their crops at 1% interest

The Subtreasury Plan

• Allow the farmers to store their crops in Government Warehouses

• Have the government loan them 80% of the value of their crops at 1% interest

• This would accomplish:• immediate source of cheap

credit

The Subtreasury Plan

• Allow the farmers to store their crops in Government Warehouses

• Have the government loan them 80% of the value of their crops at 1% interest

• This would accomplish:• immediate source of cheap credit• would bring higher prices for

crops

The Subtreasury Plan

• Allow the farmers to store their crops in Government Warehouses

• Have the government loan them 80% of the value of their crops at 1% interest

• This would accomplish:• immediate source of cheap credit• would bring higher prices for crops• solve the lack of currency problem

Tom Watson

Omaha Platform 1892

• Subtreasury Plan• Unlimited Coinage of Silver currency• Increase $ supply to $50/capita• Graduated income tax• postal savings banks• nationalize rr’s, telephone and telegraph• 8 hour work day and outlaw Pinkertons

William Jennings Bryan

William McKinley

The Election of 1896

• Democrat- Wm. Jennings Bryan• Republican- William McKinley