The People's Party, or Populists, were a party that found their origins in American agrarianism and the growing discontent of farmers in the late 1800s.
Agrarian workers had a difficult life, with bankers charging exorbitant interest for loans for farm equipment and seeds. Transport companies would raise the prices of their shipping enormously to ensure that they could make as much money as possible off the farmers. Grain sales plummeted by over 75% in the late 1800s, and farmers suffered more than anyone.
Due to these developments, farmers rushed to unionize and cooperate, forming farm co-ops and eventually unifying into a larger party: the People's Party. The Knights of Labor and the Southern Farmers Alliance began to work together, allowing the People's Party to take shape. They managed to win 8.5% of the popular vote in the presidential election of 1892, and endorsed the Democratic candidate, William Jennings Bryan, in 1896.
Eventually, the People's Party became less popular as an independent party and died off.
The 1892 People's Party poster
1 comment:
I like the statistics you give for evidence. It was very clear and organized. I like your picture and I like how you put a label underneath to clear it up.
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