Political movement that tried to help the nation’s farmers rights and power against the elite.
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Transcript of Political movement that tried to help the nation’s farmers rights and power against the elite.
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Populism“What you farmers need to do is
raise less corn and more Hell!”-Mary Elizabeth Lease (1890)
Populist Organizer
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Populism:
Political movement that tried to help the nation’s farmers rights and power against the elite.
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Background
Depression of 1890 was the worst in the United States up to that time.
Farmers struggled due to:› 1) Mechanization: More machines=more
debt› 2) New Land (on credit): more debt› 3) Specialization of crops: Farmers only
raise one crops, but struggle if that crop does poorly
› 4) Disasters: floods, insects, droughts
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The Grange
Cooperative movement-farmers pooled their money to make shared purchases of machinery, supplies, insurance, etc.
One of the largest: Colored Farmers Alliance (goal: education! This would make African-Americans more informed voters)
Worked for pro farmer laws› Ex. Interstate Commerce Act- regulated rates
of railroads
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Populists and Free Silver
Populists believed that this would solve the farmer’s problems (Populists urged Black & White farmers to work TOGETHER—they had similar problems; this dramatically increased lynchings).
They wanted to use both silver and gold coins, thus increasing the amount of money in the country
All money would be worthless, a situation that was bad for creditors (big banks) and good for debtors (farmers)
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A Populist President?William Jennings Bryan
Ran as a Populist President in 1896 on platform of Free Silver
Big business opposes his run, William McKinley and the Republicans win the white house & Populists fade away
“You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon across of gold”--W.J.Bryan
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W.J. Bryan Vs. William McKinley
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The Wizard of Oz
Written in 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is an allegory about the Populist movement.
Frank Baum, the author, was a supporter of the Populist presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan
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The Wizard of Oz: Symbols
Ruby slippers: In the book, the slippers are silver (magic of Free Silver)
Yellow Brick Road: “Gold” is a danger for regular people like Dorothy.
Oz: An abbreviation of ounce (the way gold is measured).
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Wizard of Oz: Characters
Dorothy: Everyman. An innocent, Midwestern girl with traditional American values who can see what is really going on in Oz.
Munchkins: The common people controlled by the Wicked Witch of the East (who represents the Eastern Industrialists, bankers and brokers on Wall Street).
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Wizard of Oz: Characters
Scarecrow: The wise, but naïve western farmer, taken advantage of by the industrialists and bankers.
Tinman: Dehumanized industrial worker.
Cowardly Lion: William Jennings Bryan. All roar and no bite. Bryan was a pacifist.
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Wizard of Oz: Characters
Toto: Temperance activists (allies of the Populists).
Wicked Witch of the West: The industrial influence on the west and is destroyed by water (pure nature, a removal of machines).
Wizard: President McKinley. A “puppet master” or all show with no substance.
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Wizard of Oz
The Emerald City: Washington, DC Gilda the Good Witch: Factory and Farm
Workers