Rylan Sedlacek
Robert Whitley
HIS-132
8 February 2023
William Jennings Bryan was a prominent politician and lawyer from Nebraska, who served as a Congressman and later as the Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson. He was known for his populist views and famous speeches. These factors led to Bryan being widely regarded as one of the most influential political figures of his time. In 1896, Bryan delivered his famous "Cross of Gold Speech" to the Democratic National Convention, where he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. Throughout his speech, Bryan, “advocated the inclusion of a silver standard for U.S. currency, which rallied the populist base of the Democratic Party and helped Bryan
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He argued that the gold standard favored the interests of the wealthy and powerful and that it was responsible for the economic difficulties faced by many Americans. Bryan famously stated, "You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."(Bryan). He advocated for the use of silver as well as gold as a monetary standard, arguing that this would make money more available and help to alleviate the economic difficulties facing many Americans.
Bryan's message in the "Cross of Gold Speech" resonated with many people, as it spoke to the economic struggles faced by working-class Americans. Bryan was a prominent figurehead for the working class, and he used his speech to demonstrate his leadership skills and to build support for his economic vision for the country. He was seeking to make the gold standard a central issue in the upcoming election, and he hoped to use his speech to raise awareness about this issue and to build support for his
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William Jennings Bryan was a charismatic and dynamic speaker and using his populist views and oratory skills, he was able to make a lasting impact on the American People. Bryan's messages in his "Cross of Gold" speech were certainly effective in terms of capturing the attention of his audience and making his argument extremely memorable. His use of vivid imagery and powerful metaphors helped to bring his message to life, and his arguments against the gold standard resonated with many people who felt that the policy was causing undue harm to the working