Farmers and the Populist Movement

1
Section 4

• Farmers and the Populist Movement

2
Demand For Cheap Money

• The period after the Civil War was marked by
  DEFLATION
• Deflation cost of goods and services fall
• Farmers were losing money
• Farmers wanted prices to rise

3

• Inflation rise in the cost of goods and
  services
• Cheap Money backed by silver
• Silver was more plentiful than Gold
• Using silver would create a cheaper currency and
  put more money into circulation - inflation

4
Farmers Alliance

• Oliver Kelley 1867
• Patrons of Husbandry - Grange

5
Grange

• Social outlet
• Educational forum
• Political voice

6
Populism

• Populist or Peoples Party 1892
• Economic reforms
• High tariff
• Low interest loans
• Government control of railroads

7
Election of 1896

• Republican
• William McKinley
• Committed to
• gold standard

8
Election of 1896

• Democrats and
• Populists -
• William Jennings
• Bryan

9
Election 1896

• Bryan delivered the Cross of Gold speech

10
Election 1896

• McKinley won
• Populism collapsed