2.1 Political tensions and divisions: the rise of Republican Dominance

Question 1

What evidence is there that the Republicans were politically dominant 1890-1912?

Answer 1

Between 1868 and 1932, Cleveland and Wilson were the only 2 democrats to interrupt the long chain of Republican presidents

Question 2

What were the two main political forces during this time?

Answer 2

Populism and progressivism

Question 3

What evidence is there of a ‘solid south’?

Answer 3

For a century after the Civil War, the Democrat candidate won the South in every election except one (Smith 1928)

Question 4

Which other groups of people supported the Democrats?

Answer 4

Blue collar workers in the North, recent immigrants, and Western farmers

Question 5

What was the manifesto of the 1892 Populists called?

Answer 5

The Omaha Platform - its theme was to fight corruption in the government

Question 6

What success did the Populists have?

Answer 6

They did well in the 1892 elections and gained even more support in the mid-term elections of 1894

Question 7

What did the Populists demand?

Answer 7

• Government ownership of railways
• Opportunity for settlers and farmers to be able to acquire land from corporations and foreigners
• A graduated income tax
• A currency not controlled by private bankers
• ‘free silver’

Question 8

How was the Democratic Party weakened under Cleveland?

Answer 8

• Panic of 1893 and the depression that followed
• Poor showing in 1894 mid term elections
• got JP Morgan to lend the government $62 million in 1895 to prop up gold reserves

Question 9

What was the significance of Democrats borrowing money from private businessmen?

Answer 9

Seems as though he sided with wall street rather than the ‘little man’

Question 10

What role did the National Nominating Convention have in the 1896 election?

Answer 10

The Democrats adopted the cause of free silver into its programme and gave the presidential nomination to Bryan, joining with the Populists