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What Was The Populist Movement In The Gilded Age

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The Gilded Age brought about the Populist movement which occurred because the poor people of America wanted a chance at economic wealth. The first populist movement occurred in 1867 when the “Grange” or “Patrons of Husbandry” farmer’s union called for regulation of railroad shipping rates instead of the “natural monopoly” that was occurring at the time. The Interstate Commerce Commission was created in 1887 because of the “Grange” movement. Although, railroads corporations were so wealthy they could buy around government regulations. The ICC remained ineffective until President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1869, the Knights of Labor called for economic inflation believing it would bring back the money they had spent, however the federal government stopped …show more content…

Another party came out of the National Farmers’ Alliance named the Peoples’ Party, and they wrote the “Omaha Platform” which stated their party’s beliefs. They wanted free silver, the breakup of trusts, increased government regulation of corporations, the government takeover of natural monopolies such as the transportation and communications systems of America, federal emergency relief for farmers that experienced drought in the Great Plains, a national income tax, reduced vote fraud by instituting a “secret ballot”, and the empowerment of common people to have a voice politically by instituting “initiative” and “referendum.” Many of the ideas of the Peoples’ Party are reflected today by the beliefs of the Democratic party such as welfare and a progressive tax rate. The institution of “initiative” and “referendum” allowed the will of the people to be heard even if the government did not want to hear it. The Populist Party ran James Weaver in the presidential race against Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison and lost, but that did not stop them from giving

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The Gilded Age led to Progressive reform, because America had big corporations that had business that corrupted government officials. The Progressive reform started in 1890s to the 1920s until they could get it settled. The people started to fight against the monopolies. The people fought until they got what they wanted.

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In a time when the United States changed from a predominantly rural nation to a modern industrial society called the Gilded age. During these times America saw massive waves of immigration and huge technological advances, such as the Transcontinental Railroad and the electric motor. Due to this industrialization workers like industrial workers and farmers responded in many ways. Farmers and Industrial workers responded to industrialization during the Gilded Age by establishing the Farmer’s Alliance, work unions, and the formation of the Populist Party.

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Corporate greedy and corrupt politicians were specific problems and injustices that were present in American life during the late 1800s and early 1900s however these were addressed during the progressive era with laws and regulations. Throughout the gilded era corrupt politicians and corporate greedy allowed the upper class and businessmen to take advantage of the working class. This means that a majority of the population were hurt during the gilded age whereas a small percentage benefitted. As seen in document 1, living conditions were crowded, dirty, and unsafe.

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16. They were a People's party. Main issues/goals: an increased circulation of money, the unlimited minting of silver, a progressive income tax-the percentage of taxes owed increases with a rise in income-worse for the wealthy than the farmers, and government ownership of communications and transportation systems. 17. The United States presidential election saw Republican William McKinley defeat Democrat William Jennings Bryan.

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The 19th century was a period of widespread social, economical and political problems in the United States, from the 1890s to the 1920s in need of reform. Both parties were created by the people’s dissatisfaction with the government and its ability to appeal to the majority. The Populist movement was founded my farmers, laborers and middle class civilians that wanted government regulation in the economy, more authority in the government, educating immigrants, to prevent government corruption and high positions to be based on experience.

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The alliance aquirred over a million members by 1890 , but the group was weakened the plight of landless tenant farmers and sharecroppers. It was also weakend by exclusion of blacks who made up half of the agricultural population. In the 1890’s, the People’s party was started. They were also known as the Populists, these farmers fought against Wall Street and the “money trust.” They advocated for the nationalization of the railroads, telephones, and telegraph, a graduated income tax, and a new subtreasury.

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During the last thirty years of the nineteenth century, often referred to as the “Agricultural Revolution”, the United States’ large farmer population was growing increasingly discontent with the state of political affairs. Wheat and cotton prices were at an all time low due to their high tariffs, deflation, debts and the expansion of the railroad onto farm property. Additionally, unfair freight rates contributed to farmers’ unrest and a desire for political reform. As a result, many sought immediate and radical change through political means. This led to the establishment of the Farmer’s Alliance and later the Populist Party which both played a large role in national politics by introducing new ideas regarding economics on both a domestic

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The populists started from farmers and grew into a national movement and political party. It all started with Oliver Kelly and the grange of the patrons of husbandry. The patrons of husbandry promoted economic and political well being of community and agriculture. The populist party was organized in st. Louis in 1892.

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The Populist Party otherwise called the People’s Party was founded before the Civil War, the party consists of farmers, laborers, and socialists, where most of the populist came from the South and the West. The party adopted a system to change the debt-stricken way how the farmers, support the laborers and the shortening of workdays for the industrial workers and a few types of reforms, for example the right to referendums, recall and female suffrage, which many farmers and workers believed that the Populist Party was a voice for their anger and a gross for inequality and injustice in the American society. In the meantime, Labor 's efforts to organize and collectively bargain with the trusts were systematically suppressed. All these things

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In a time after the Civil War, when a transcontinental railroad was created connecting the East and West, people began to move and settle across the country, creating new urban cities and manufacturing hubs. It was because of the railroad that the Second Industrial Revolution and the Gilded Age took place which rapidly increased the manufacturing of products through the new machines in factories and the spread of ideas by the telegraph and railroad. It was in this context that many farmers, as well, began to move West and experience a loss in the prices of their crops. It is also in this context that many workers were forced to work long, laborious hours with little pay. Farmers responded to industrialization in the Gilded Age by forming organizations such as the Granger movement and the Farmers Alliance as well as creating the Populist Party.

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The time period from when the Second Industrial Revolution was beginning, up until President McKinley’s assassination in 1901, is known as the Gilded Age. After the Civil War, many people headed out West to pursue agriculture, and many immigrants moved to urban areas to acquire jobs in industrial factories. It is in this context that farmers and industrial workers had to respond to industrialization. Two significant ways farmers and industrial workers responded to industrialization in the Gilded Age, were creating the Populist Party and the American Federation of Labor (AFL).

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The AF of L wanted “unionism” and opposed socialism. TheKnights of Labor, another labor union, was created in 1869 and enlisted in their ranks not only alllaborers but also everyone who could be truly classified as a producer. Labor unions, the two major depressions and the three “robber barons” were three of theforemost reasons the Gilded Age got its name. The “robber barons” invested in things that wouldultimately lead to a “Golden Industrial Age” but they didn’t achieve it totally legitimately, and thecreation of the labor unions sided with the workers, but at times, grew violent in their methods.

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(The Omaha Platform) While the Republican and Democratic parties fought for the upper hand in the government, laws were created that hurt people that were already hurting. These wrongs sparked farmers and wage workers to reform and protest for the promotion and the betterment of the lives of American citizens within the workforce. The Populist party declared that “the union of the labor forces of the United States this day consummated shall be permanent and perpetual.” (The Omaha Platform)

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What the populist wanted as stated in the Omaha Platform included Coinage of silver to gold at a ratio 16 to 1, Federal loans to farmers, Graduated income tax, Postal savings banks

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The Gilded age was a period in the late 1800s (1865-1900) that showed tremendous increase of wealth caused by the industrial age. The lifestyle of the rich during this period hid the many problems of the time that eventually brought about the progressive era movement. This was a movement for reform between 1900-1920s. Progressives typically held that the irresponsible actions of the rich were corrupting both public and private life. Forces such as immigration, the Populist Party and industrialization that led to the progressive era also impacted the American government both in its activeness and its democracy.

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