Chapter 5 Section 2 Settling the Great Plains

1. Chapter 5 Section 2Settling the Great Plains

2. Railroads • 170 million acres = ½ billion • 20 square miles – 1 mile of track (territory) • 10 square miles – I mile of track (state) • Sell excess land (immigrants) • Union Pacific vs Central Pacific (race!) • UP – moved W, CP – moved E • 1884 = 5 transcontinental railroads

3. Homestead Act • 160 Acres • 600,000 families participated • Exodusters – African Americans (S to Kansas) • Only 10%, rest to big business • 1 day – 2 million acres (Ok)

4. Think, Pair, Share • What hardships do you think were encountered by the frontier settlers?

5. Think Pair Share • What would you do? Would you go? 1) Spouse, 2 children ages 4 & 2 2) Spouse

6. 1872 – Yellowstone National Park • Dept. of the Interior – forced railroads to give up property (NY, NJ, PA, DE, ML, & VA) • Frontier is closed • Challenges • Droughts, floods, fires, blizzards, locus plagues, raids (outlaws & NA) • 1850 – W of the Miss. = 1% • 1900 – W of the Miss. = 30%

7. Duggouts & Soddies • Women • Doctors, teachers, cook, farmer, etc… • Families had to be self sufficient • Agricultural Technology • 1890 - 900 manufactures of farming tech. • 1830 – Bushel of grain = 183 mins. • 1900 – 10 mins.

9. Morrill Act • Agricultural colleges • Hatch Act 1887 • Agricultural experiment stations (new grains & techniques) • “Breadbasket of the Nation”

10. Farmer Debt • Borrowing , Prices , Shipping Costs

11. Chapter 5 Section 3

12. Greenbacks – 500 million paper money (couldn’t be exchanged for gold or silver) • Hard money – coins, paper $ in yellow ink • After the war, govt. stops greenbacks • Increases value of the hard money • Farmers • Had to pay back loans in dollars worth more • Receiving less $ for crops • Wheat - $2 to . 68 cents

13. Railroads • RRs make agreements with grain brokers • Could influence the price of crops • Farmers mortgage farms for more credit • Suppliers – high rates of interest

14. Oliver Hudson Kelley • Patrons of Husbandry • The Grange • Social outlet and educational forum for farmers • Fought RRs • 4 million followers

15. Populism • Movement of the people • “People’s Party” • Greater voice in govt. • Lift debt from farmers • Platform – increase $ supply, graduated income tax, federal loan program, election of US Senators by popular vote, 1 term for Pres. and VP, secret ballot, 8 hour workday, restriction of immigration • Populists evolve into the Democratic Party • Govt. is responsible for reforming social injustices

16. Think, Pair, Share • Is the federal government responsible for reforming social injustices. Why or why not?

17. The Panic of 1893 • Railroads expand faster than markets; some go bankrupt • Government’s gold supply depleted, leads to rush on banks • businesses, banks collapse • 15, 000 businesses collapse, 500 banks, 1894 – 20% unemployment

18. Silver or Gold • Political divisions also regional: • Republicans: Northeast business owners, bankers • Democrats: Southern, Western farmers, laborers • Bimetallism—system using both silver and gold to back currency • Gold standard—backing currency with gold only • Paper money considered worthless if cannot be exchanged for metal • Silverites: bimetallism would create more money, stimulate economy • Gold bugs: gold only would create more stable,if expensive currency

19. 1896, Republicans commit to gold, select William McKinley • Democrats favor bimetallism, choose William Jennings Bryan (Cross of Gold) • Populists endorse Bryan, choose own VP to maintain party identity

21. The End of Populism • McKinley (Reps) gets East, industrial Midwest; Bryan (Dem/Pop) South, farm Midwest • McKinley elected president; Populism collapses; leaves legacy: • the powerless can organize, have political impact • agenda of reforms enacted in 20th century