hist_1302_ch_17_populism
TRANSCRIPT
POPULISM AND THE SPANISH-
AMERICAN WAR
Chapter 17
Origins of the Populist Party A worldwide agricultural economy was emerging
Great fluctuations in supply and demand caused a general downturn for farmers worldwide
Farmers sought to improve their condition through groups such as the Farmers Alliance
Economic paradoxFarmers were complaining about lower crop prices,
high shipping rates, and steep mortgages In reality, farmers’ purchasing power increased, rail
rates decreased, and easier mortgages allowed farmers to mechanize
Origins of the Populist Party Overall, a general feeling of depression
in the United States was felt despite the obvious regional differencesFarmers resented the snobbery and
decadence of the cityThey hated seeing their children go from the
farm to the city Agricultural discontent brought about a
need for political recognition and action
Origins of the Populist Party Farmers Alliance Issues
The National Farmers Alliance (NFA) in the North had great success in convincing local Democratic candidates of the movement’s goals○ The NFA ran their own independent candidates
successfully in local elections○ Truly a grassroots movement
The NFA in the South had great difficulty convincing Democrats of their agenda
Southern discontent combined with a growing grassroots movement led to the founding of the People’s (Populist) Party
The People’s Party
The People’s (Populist) Party emerged from the Farmers Alliance in the early 1890sBecame a political voice for all producing
classesCommunity organization and education at the
grassroots level was important to the movement’s success
Populists sought to rethink the relationship between freedom and government to address the crisis of the 1890s
Goals of the Populist Party Free silver coinage Low tariffs A federal income tax Direct election of senators Active government regulation of railroads Overall, Populists believed that freedom
could be sacrificed to protect the economic interests of the country through government intervention and regulation
The Populist Coalition Populists made remarkable efforts to unite black and
white small farmers on a common political and economic platform In the South, they recruited blacks and gave them
management positions However, issues such as lynching, passive racism, and the
fact that many blacks did not want to leave the Republican Party inhibited growth
The movement also attracted many able and competent women with farm and labor backgrounds
By 1892, the party ran James Weaver as a presidential candidate Won over 1 million votes Became the most successful third-party in the United States
1892 Presidential Election
Populism and Labor The depression that began in 1893 led to
increased conflict between business owners and laborCoxey’s ArmyPullman Strike of 1894
Populists made efforts to recruit industrial workers to their ranks, but ultimately failedWorking-class voters shifted to the Republican
party insteadThis shift becomes the foundation for the
Progressive Republicans of the early 1900s
The Free Silver Movement The movement rose to prominence during the
presidential election of 1896Populists and Democrats joined to support Democrat
candidate William Jennings Bryan Bryan called for the free coinage of silver
Populists believed that changing to a silver standard would cause inflation that would in turn raise crop prices and benefit farmers
Bryan condemned the gold standard and also called for a government that would help ordinary AmericansOne of the first notions of a welfare state
The Campaign of 1896
Republicans nominated Ohio governor William McKinley
Democrats/Populists nominated William Jennings Bryan
The election of 1896 is typically seen as the first modern presidential campaignBryan was the first person at this point to
publically “want” to be president McKinley wins the election though
William Jennings Bryan William McKinley
Election of 1896
Aftermath Why does Bryan lose?
Problems with split-party supportDemocrats and Populists could not agree on anything
other than Bryan for candidate McKinley takes office as the depression is
easingThis begins the association of the Republican Party
and good times (dominant until the Great Depression) Times are so good that McKinley manages to
pass the Dingley TariffRaises rates to astronomical levelsEven Republicans question it
Redeeming the South Redeemer Democrats sought to undo as much as
possible of Reconstruction in the SouthPublic school systems were hit the hardest
New laws authorized the arrest of virtually any person without employment Increased penalties for petty crimes
This came as a reaction to the failure of the Southern DreamGoes back to the Jeffersonian ideal of being an
“Agrarian Republic”As the South sunk further into poverty, Southern
politicians sought to restore the South to its former pre-Civil War glory
Black Life in the South Black farmers suffered the most from the
region’s declining conditionEasily the most disadvantaged rural SouthernerBlacks owned less land in 1900 than they had at the
end of Reconstruction Cities support the growth of a black middle class Most labor unions excluded/denied membership
to blacks Politics
Political opportunities became more restricted after the failure of Populism
Political leadership passed to black women activists
Elimination of Black Voting After the decline of Populism and failed
attempts at coalitions between black Republicans and anti-Redeemer Democrats, Southern states sought to eliminate black voting
Between 1890 and 1906, every Southern state enacted laws to eliminate black votingTerrell Election Laws in Texas
Numerous poor/illiterate whites lost their right to vote too
Northern complacency was also a cause of this restriction
Segregating the South
The Supreme Court allowed states to pass laws mandating racial segregation in every aspect of life in Plessy v. FergusonNo black high school existed in the South by
1900 The point was to ensure whites held the
upper hand socially, economically, politically, and legally.
Lynching Typically a racially charged form of
extralegal justice used to assert white supremacy
Rape and murder were common charges Lynching occurrences rose after the
decline of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1870s and continued until the mid-1940sRoughly 500 black lynchings were estimated
between 1870 and 1900 in Texas Anti-lynch laws had little effect
Whitecapping Originally a ritualized form of enforcing
community standards, appropriate behavior, and traditional rightsHad a distinctive connection to the Ku Klux Klan
of the 1870s Common charges
Men who were abusive to their wives/childrenPeople who were lazy and refused to workWomen who had children out of wedlock
Took on a distinctive anti-black characteristic in Texas and the South
Whitecapping
Forms of violenceBurning down housesBeating and abusing blacks in front of other
blacksPublic whipping
Non-violent forms of whitecappingPosting signs on blacks’ or merchants’ doorsVerbal threatsPublic humiliation
The Politics of Memory
The Civil War came to be remembered as a tragic family quarrel among white AmericansSlavery was deemphasized and only held a
very minor role School history books were written to
emphasize happy slaves and the evils of Reconstruction.This mentality held true well into the 20th
century
American Imperialism
America was a second rate power in the late 19th century
Imperialism was a growing concern and attractionEuropean powers were scrambling to gain
influence in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia Justification for Imperialism
We have to bring “civilization” to the backward peoples of the world
American Imperialism
Why did America get interested?Trade primarily
○ America wanted to become a major trader in developing/colonizing countries
Territory was a secondary concern○ it was expensive and costly to maintain
The Depression of 1893 prompted people to believe aggressive foreign policy was needed to beat the depression
American Imperialism
Why did America get interested?Hawaii was a prize worth taking
○ It would become a strategic half-way point between the United States and Asia
Nationalism and patriotism was finally developing○ Many war veterans conventions○ The emergence of yellow journalism
The Spanish-American War Brief overview of the conflict
Cuba continually fought for independence from Spain since 1868
U.S. President McKinley and the Spanish minister have numerous disagreements over Cuba
The U.S.S. Maine blows up and President McKinley blames the bombing on Spain○ Actually caused by an internal explosion
The U.S. Navy defeats a Spanish fleet at Manila Bay; Spain begins to back off
The United States begins occupation of Cuba and the Philippines
Natives of Cuba/the Philippines begin to revolt against U.S. influence
The Spanish-American War Why did the United States get involved
with Cuba and the Philippines?American Imperialism developed a belief that
America’s participation in the revolutions within Cuba and the Philippines would lead to social reform and self-government for those countries
Manifest Destiny with an international twist○ Expanding U.S. influence at all costs○ We conquered North America, so we have to
expand further for God’s glory
The Spanish-American War Why did the United States get involved
with Cuba and the Philippines?Expansionist foreign policy was gaining
influence○ Secretaries of State Blaine and Seward
acquired Alaska and Midway Island○ Hawaii came shortly afterwards; sugar
plantations were vital to expanding tradeForeign policy focused on eroding European
influence in Latin America
The Spanish-American War Helping our “Little Brown Brothers”
President McKinley believed his policies (domestic and foreign) were in line with religious beliefs and evolutionary ideas at the time
Common belief (and propaganda) at the time insisted that helping natives of foreign countries was similar to a parent giving guidance to children
Nativism and racist attitudes justified Americans believing it was the “White Man’s Burden” to help the natives
The Spanish-American War Results
The war spurred a huge debate over race, democracy, and citizenship
Puerto Rico becomes an insular territory○ Finally wins independence in 1946
Anti-Imperialist League argues that democracy is not compatible with empire (imperialism)
Senator Albert Beveridge guides a foreign policy of imperialism mixed with the language of freedom