POPULISM AND THE SPANISH-

AMERICAN WAR

Chapter 17

Origins of the Populist Party A worldwide agricultural economy was emerging

Great fluctuations in supply and demand caused a general downturn for farmers worldwide

Farmers sought to improve their condition through groups such as the Farmers Alliance

Economic paradoxFarmers were complaining about lower crop prices,

high shipping rates, and steep mortgages In reality, farmers’ purchasing power increased, rail

rates decreased, and easier mortgages allowed farmers to mechanize

Origins of the Populist Party Overall, a general feeling of depression

in the United States was felt despite the obvious regional differencesFarmers resented the snobbery and

decadence of the cityThey hated seeing their children go from the

farm to the city Agricultural discontent brought about a

need for political recognition and action

Origins of the Populist Party Farmers Alliance Issues

The National Farmers Alliance (NFA) in the North had great success in convincing local Democratic candidates of the movement’s goals○ The NFA ran their own independent candidates

successfully in local elections○ Truly a grassroots movement

The NFA in the South had great difficulty convincing Democrats of their agenda

Southern discontent combined with a growing grassroots movement led to the founding of the People’s (Populist) Party

The People’s Party

The People’s (Populist) Party emerged from the Farmers Alliance in the early 1890sBecame a political voice for all producing

classesCommunity organization and education at the

grassroots level was important to the movement’s success

Populists sought to rethink the relationship between freedom and government to address the crisis of the 1890s

Goals of the Populist Party Free silver coinage Low tariffs A federal income tax Direct election of senators Active government regulation of railroads Overall, Populists believed that freedom

could be sacrificed to protect the economic interests of the country through government intervention and regulation

The Populist Coalition Populists made remarkable efforts to unite black and

white small farmers on a common political and economic platform In the South, they recruited blacks and gave them

management positions However, issues such as lynching, passive racism, and the

fact that many blacks did not want to leave the Republican Party inhibited growth

The movement also attracted many able and competent women with farm and labor backgrounds

By 1892, the party ran James Weaver as a presidential candidate Won over 1 million votes Became the most successful third-party in the United States

1892 Presidential Election

Populism and Labor The depression that began in 1893 led to

increased conflict between business owners and laborCoxey’s ArmyPullman Strike of 1894

Populists made efforts to recruit industrial workers to their ranks, but ultimately failedWorking-class voters shifted to the Republican

party insteadThis shift becomes the foundation for the

Progressive Republicans of the early 1900s

The Free Silver Movement The movement rose to prominence during the

presidential election of 1896Populists and Democrats joined to support Democrat

candidate William Jennings Bryan Bryan called for the free coinage of silver

Populists believed that changing to a silver standard would cause inflation that would in turn raise crop prices and benefit farmers

Bryan condemned the gold standard and also called for a government that would help ordinary AmericansOne of the first notions of a welfare state

The Campaign of 1896

Republicans nominated Ohio governor William McKinley

Democrats/Populists nominated William Jennings Bryan

The election of 1896 is typically seen as the first modern presidential campaignBryan was the first person at this point to

publically “want” to be president McKinley wins the election though

William Jennings Bryan William McKinley

Election of 1896

Aftermath Why does Bryan lose?

Problems with split-party supportDemocrats and Populists could not agree on anything

other than Bryan for candidate McKinley takes office as the depression is

easingThis begins the association of the Republican Party

and good times (dominant until the Great Depression) Times are so good that McKinley manages to

pass the Dingley TariffRaises rates to astronomical levelsEven Republicans question it

Redeeming the South Redeemer Democrats sought to undo as much as

possible of Reconstruction in the SouthPublic school systems were hit the hardest

New laws authorized the arrest of virtually any person without employment Increased penalties for petty crimes

This came as a reaction to the failure of the Southern DreamGoes back to the Jeffersonian ideal of being an

“Agrarian Republic”As the South sunk further into poverty, Southern

politicians sought to restore the South to its former pre-Civil War glory

Black Life in the South Black farmers suffered the most from the

region’s declining conditionEasily the most disadvantaged rural SouthernerBlacks owned less land in 1900 than they had at the

end of Reconstruction Cities support the growth of a black middle class Most labor unions excluded/denied membership

to blacks Politics

Political opportunities became more restricted after the failure of Populism

Political leadership passed to black women activists

Elimination of Black Voting After the decline of Populism and failed

attempts at coalitions between black Republicans and anti-Redeemer Democrats, Southern states sought to eliminate black voting

Between 1890 and 1906, every Southern state enacted laws to eliminate black votingTerrell Election Laws in Texas

Numerous poor/illiterate whites lost their right to vote too

Northern complacency was also a cause of this restriction

Segregating the South

The Supreme Court allowed states to pass laws mandating racial segregation in every aspect of life in Plessy v. FergusonNo black high school existed in the South by

1900 The point was to ensure whites held the

upper hand socially, economically, politically, and legally.

Lynching Typically a racially charged form of

extralegal justice used to assert white supremacy

Rape and murder were common charges Lynching occurrences rose after the

decline of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1870s and continued until the mid-1940sRoughly 500 black lynchings were estimated

between 1870 and 1900 in Texas Anti-lynch laws had little effect

Whitecapping Originally a ritualized form of enforcing

community standards, appropriate behavior, and traditional rightsHad a distinctive connection to the Ku Klux Klan

of the 1870s Common charges

Men who were abusive to their wives/childrenPeople who were lazy and refused to workWomen who had children out of wedlock

Took on a distinctive anti-black characteristic in Texas and the South

Whitecapping

Forms of violenceBurning down housesBeating and abusing blacks in front of other

blacksPublic whipping

Non-violent forms of whitecappingPosting signs on blacks’ or merchants’ doorsVerbal threatsPublic humiliation

The Politics of Memory

The Civil War came to be remembered as a tragic family quarrel among white AmericansSlavery was deemphasized and only held a

very minor role School history books were written to

emphasize happy slaves and the evils of Reconstruction.This mentality held true well into the 20th

century

American Imperialism

America was a second rate power in the late 19th century

Imperialism was a growing concern and attractionEuropean powers were scrambling to gain

influence in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia Justification for Imperialism

We have to bring “civilization” to the backward peoples of the world

American Imperialism

Why did America get interested?Trade primarily

○ America wanted to become a major trader in developing/colonizing countries

Territory was a secondary concern○ it was expensive and costly to maintain

The Depression of 1893 prompted people to believe aggressive foreign policy was needed to beat the depression

American Imperialism

Why did America get interested?Hawaii was a prize worth taking

○ It would become a strategic half-way point between the United States and Asia

Nationalism and patriotism was finally developing○ Many war veterans conventions○ The emergence of yellow journalism

The Spanish-American War Brief overview of the conflict

Cuba continually fought for independence from Spain since 1868

U.S. President McKinley and the Spanish minister have numerous disagreements over Cuba

The U.S.S. Maine blows up and President McKinley blames the bombing on Spain○ Actually caused by an internal explosion

The U.S. Navy defeats a Spanish fleet at Manila Bay; Spain begins to back off

The United States begins occupation of Cuba and the Philippines

Natives of Cuba/the Philippines begin to revolt against U.S. influence

The Spanish-American War Why did the United States get involved

with Cuba and the Philippines?American Imperialism developed a belief that

America’s participation in the revolutions within Cuba and the Philippines would lead to social reform and self-government for those countries

Manifest Destiny with an international twist○ Expanding U.S. influence at all costs○ We conquered North America, so we have to

expand further for God’s glory

The Spanish-American War Why did the United States get involved

with Cuba and the Philippines?Expansionist foreign policy was gaining

influence○ Secretaries of State Blaine and Seward

acquired Alaska and Midway Island○ Hawaii came shortly afterwards; sugar

plantations were vital to expanding tradeForeign policy focused on eroding European

influence in Latin America

The Spanish-American War Helping our “Little Brown Brothers”

President McKinley believed his policies (domestic and foreign) were in line with religious beliefs and evolutionary ideas at the time

Common belief (and propaganda) at the time insisted that helping natives of foreign countries was similar to a parent giving guidance to children

Nativism and racist attitudes justified Americans believing it was the “White Man’s Burden” to help the natives

The Spanish-American War Results

The war spurred a huge debate over race, democracy, and citizenship

Puerto Rico becomes an insular territory○ Finally wins independence in 1946

Anti-Imperialist League argues that democracy is not compatible with empire (imperialism)

Senator Albert Beveridge guides a foreign policy of imperialism mixed with the language of freedom