Populism

Question 1

How was silver a reason for the growth of the Populist party/ populism?

Answer 1

• Bimetallism: felt silver should be used for currency as well as gold
• World gold production has decreased between 1865 and 1890 but the production of silver in the US went from $150,000 to $57 million
• Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890 –> silver could be used in the production of coinage
• Act removed by President Cleveland in 1896 because he believed that confidence of the business community had been lost because of the use of silver in the coinage

Question 2

How was Agricultural Discontent a reason for the growth of the Populist party/ populism? - more specifically in the Progressive period

Price change etc

Answer 2

• 1860, 1 bushel of wheat = $1.60; 1890, 1 bushel of wheat = 60 cents
• Over the same period, 1 bushel of cotton went from 30 cents to 6 cents
• High tariffs on foreign goods made it hard to sell goods abroad
• Harvests deteriorated from 1880 due to poor weather conditions
• freight rates

Question 3

When was the Populist Party formed ?

What kind of party was it?

Answer 3

• 1892

- ‘people’s party’

Question 4

What were the aims of the Populist Party?

6 points

Answer 4

• Regulation of railways (particularly freight prices)
• Regulation of farm prices
• Graduated income tax (would take away government dependence on tariffs, would ensure the rich were taxed more & encourage more exports)
• Direct election of senators (to ensure all citizens would be able to choose 2 senators from each state who went to Congress)
• 8 hour working day
• Bimetallism

Question 5

How important was populism?

- reasons not important?

Answer 5

• Collapsed following the 1896 election so very short lived
• Had few electoral successes - approx 45 members of the party served in the US Congress between 1891 and 1902

Question 6

How important was populism?

- reasons for importance?

Answer 6

• The Progressives adopted many of the aims of the Populist Party
• Third party influence of the Populist Party

Question 7

Who was the Democratic candidate in the 1896 elections that reflected the aims of the populist party?

Answer 7

Williams Jennings Bryan

- supported silver coinage and farming interests + wanted to improve conditions for the urban working class

Question 8

Who was the Republican candidate in the 1896 elections?

Answer 8

• William Mckinley

Question 9

How did Mckinley use modern campaigning methods, and financing, including dirty tricks in the 1896 election?

Answer 9

• Employed wealthy businessman Mark Hanna, spent $3 million supporting candidate
• Used some of money to smear Bryan
• Hanna sent 1,500 speakers into electoral areas where voters seemed undecided which candidate to vote for and paid for millions of pieces of campaign literature
• most of national newspapers including New York Times supported Mckinley

Question 10

How did Bryan Campaign in the 1896 elections?

Answer 10

• Travelled over 28,000km and gave 600 campaign speeches

- Mckinley won election