The rise of the Republican Party and the elction of 1896 Flashcards
Where did the main blocks of support for the Republicans come from?
Big business and the urban workers who did well out of the rise of industrialisation.
What did the Republicans usually support?
High tariffs and protectionist economics.
How did Bryan battle it out in the 1896 election?
He relied on his oratory, made numerous ‘whistle stop’ tours by train, making 600 speeches to enthusiastic crowds. His biblical punch line demanding free silver and denouncing the gold standard.
How did Mckinley battle it out in the 1896 election?
He did not need to make whirlwind tours; he had money instead. Behind his presidency was a modern political machine, oiled by millions of dollars and driven by a master political strategist, Mark Hanna.
Describe Hanna.
He was a rich businessman, a battle-hardened politician who knew all about patronage and was a brilliant fundraiser.
What other reasons were there for Republican advantages?
The Democratic Party was divided - the Eastern conservatives who had backed Cleveland were lukewarm in support of Bryan.
What did people outside the south and west think about democratic policies?
They were suspicious about free silver and not easily convinced it would work.
Whose policies were better received, McKinley’s or Bryan’s?
McKinley’s promises to introduce a high protective tariff and to keep the gold standard were better received than Bryan’s mixture of unorthodox economics and fundamentalist religion.
What was the outcome of the election?
McKinley won by 600,000 votes, with 51% against Bryan’s 47%.
What did the ‘turning point’ election of 1896 begin?
A period of Republican dominance as the ‘natural party of government’. The close links between Republicans and business underpinned election victory to 1912.
What was a matching consequence of the 1896 election?
The continuing weakness of the Democrats. Bryan was a charismatic political presence, but he symbolised the division between the anti-urban wing of the party and the ‘Bourbon Democrats’ who had backed Grover Cleveland.
