Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
Chapter 16, Lesson 3: The Populist Revolt (pp. 486-491)
I. The Roots of Populism
B. Because farmers were producing more crops at this time, the price that people would pay for those crops fell.
C. Farmers wanted the government to put more dollars into circulation, which would help them pay back their loans, but bankers and others opposed this policy.
D. Farmers joined organizations such as the Grange and the Greenback-Labor Party to deal with these problems.
II. Farmers Establish the Populist Party
B. In the 1890 election, the National Farmers' Alliance supported candidates in both major parties, but were disappointed by politicians' broken promises.
C. In 1892, farmers officially established the Populist Party, which called for a larger money supply and government loans to farmers.
B. Although Bryan distanced himself from the Populists, many Americans still thought he was too radical, and he lost the election.
C. After 1896, Populism faded because the economy improved, a new gold discovery increased the money supply, and the party never gained support outside the farming community.
Lesson at a Glance Outline
A. In the 1870s and 1880s, American farmers' costs rose because of expensive new machinery and high shipping costs, property taxes, and interest rates.
A. Farmers formed alliances and cooperatives to pool their resources and save money on machinery and shipping.
III. Populism Peaks and Fades
A. In 1896, after the Populist Party had grown, Democrats chose William Jennings Bryan, who supported many populist ideals, as their Presidential candidate.
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