Populism In The Gilded Age Essay

Brian Nunnelley September 19, 2015 Populist Party of 1892 The United States Government in the late 1800’s had many deficiencies within its system. The Populist Party formed in 1892, comprised of mainly farmers had many reform ideas toward the government. They wanted to change the national currency system, public transportation, land distribution, and how voting was conducted.

The Populist’s were a success in a way that helped the farmers and the other people that supported them. Stretching for eight hour work days, a graduated income tax, free coinage and much more, that is not why they were successful, they were successful for what they accomplished after they faded away. One of the first things why they were successful is that they were the first one’s in giving away farm grants. These were crucial for farmers staying on their lands.

During the era of the Gilded age, America industrialized at a previously unprecedented rate and became the greatest industrial producer across the globe. With the rapid growth of businesses, common citizens became worried that the government would become indifferent, with only the interests of the wealthy businessmen and businesses. This could be seen in many political cartoons of the time period, which often saw monopolists and businessmen looking down at their workers or other ordinary people. The Populists, who consisted of rural farmers and other workers, attempted to reform both federal and state governments and ultimately failed. However, the more educated and higher social status Progressive reformers found more success in their efforts.

The Gilded Age's political, social, and economic types resulted in a rise in populist changes in the United States in the late nineteenth century. The uneven distribution of wealth and the exploitation of labor were two major factors in populist reform throughout this period. By pushing economic and political changes that would improve the working class and shift income from the wealthy elite to the general community, the populist movement wanted to address these problems.   The United States had a period of fast economic growth during the Gilded Age, which extended from the 1870s through the 1890s. But because of the uneven distribution of this increase, the great majority of people did not greatly profit from it.

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

During the late nineteenth century, inequality was at its finest. Disagreements from unrightful decisions made by the government set off strikes, reforms and protests, which accelerated changes, all over the country. Oppression of farmers and wage workers hit hardest, as government decisions and how the country was running seemed to affect them the most. Gilded age farmers and workers demanded correct wages, the expansion of power of the government, and to nationalize various systems in the best interests of the people. Various interest groups were created, and aimed to gain popularity but were not successful enough to make a change.

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.

The Gilded Age lasted from 1870 to World War 1, “1900s.” The Gilded Age was a period of fast economic development, but also much social struggle. Mark Twain in the late nineteenth century founded the “Gilded” Age, which means covered with gold on the outside, but not really golden on the inside, for example, tin. This period of time was glittering on the surface but corrupt underneath. In other words, the outside looked beautiful, but the inside looked old and trashy.

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.

The Gilded Age was to describe America in the late nineteenth century. The outside of the US seemed glamorous and splendid alongside industrial development and massive economic growth. However, the dark sides were hidden beneath it. In my perspective, I believe we are living in the 2nd Gilded age.

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.

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.

Emily Veit Mr. Tubbs AP US History 24 January 2023 APUSH DBQ The Gilded Age was an age of political and economic growth that occurred after the Civil War and before the 20th century. The transcontinental railroad made travel easier and let people expand westward. Companies began to set up and mass produce products for cheap via production lines. Although the United States experienced great economic and political growth during the 1870s to 1900s, because of the working conditions and the government being influenced by large corporations, many Americans were dissatisfied with the effect of these corporations that caused this growth.

Farmers and Industrial Workers in the Gilded Age In a time when industrialization was booming, immigrants were racing towards the “American Dream”, and cities were growing towards the sky, the United States was thriving. As a country, the United States went from rural, to mostly urban, which made America “the world’s largest industrial power” as stated by John Green. Since the U.S. had become mostly urban, this left the very few rural workers (farmers), and even some of the industrial workers unhappy. This period of industrialization is called the Gilded Age than spans from 1865 to 1900.The farmers and industrial workers responded to the Gilded Age in significantly negative ways including unions against their authority, strikes and political

Even though the people did not continued as the populist they formed the socialist party and many return to the reform of their old political parties (Document D). Farmer's where part of the Farmers Alliance which also believed in the majority of the issues the Populist did. Their demands became laws which later helped them out. Farmer as well as populist believe in the the use of silver minting. They thought that silver minting would be better for the farming and industrial industry.