Populism

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Populism

• Monday, January 29, 2007

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A Common Interest

• Do you have a group of friends that like doing
  the same things you do?
• Does anyone ever try to stop you from doing them?
• How as a group do you get beyond these barriers??

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Farmers Problems?

• Times are tough for farmers.
• Farmers are heavily in debt?
• They often wind up losing their farms

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Farmer Quote

• The American farmer is steadily losing ground.
  His burdens are heavier every year and his gains
  are more meager. Washington Gladden

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The Grange
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The Grange Farmers Alliances

• The Grange A movement founded by farmers to
  help achieve their goals.

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Populist Party

• Populist Party - The farmer political party that
  wanted change in economic and social policies.

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Populist Goals

• Farmers wanted low tariffs.
• They wanted lower tariffs because
• Tariffs raised the prices of imported
  manufactured goods (farm machinery).
• Tariffs stopped foreigners from obtaining
  American currency reducing the world market for
  U.S. farm products.

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Populist Goals

• 2. Farmers wanted an increased circulation of
  money.

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Populist Goals

• 3.Farmers wanted to allow silver currency instead
  of just gold.

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SILVER

• Silverites called for Free Silver.
• Free Silver The unlimited coining of silver
  dollars to increase the money supply. (Wanted
  Deflation)

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Gold Bugs

• Gold Bugs Conservatives (Big Business) who
  didnt want silver currency. (wanted Inflation).

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Populist Goals

• 4. The populists wanted government ownership of
  communications and transportation systems
  (Railroads).

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William Jennings Bryan

• Bryan ran under the Populist Democratic party.
• He delivered the famous Cross of Gold Speech.
• He still eventually lost.

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Cross of Gold Speech

• You shall not press down upon the brow of labor
  this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify
  mankind upon a cross of gold!

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Populism Success

• President Grover Cleveland signed the Interstate
  Commerce Act.
• Interstate Commerce Act This act helped
  regulate the price of railroads.
• The Populist party helped give a voice to America
  throughout the nation.

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The END