Election of 1896

Almost 85% of eligible voters participated in the Election of 1896. The Populists joined with the Democratic Party. The "Populist Democrats" criticized territorial expansion and called for "free-sliver". They chose William Jennings Bryan as their candidate. The Republican Party, advocating Imperialist expansion and the gold standard chose William McKinley.

The "Election of 1896" website has a lot of very good material about 1890s politics and American culture. You are required to read the Mary Lease biography and a newspaper report on her New York speech. I urge you to also look at other sections of this very good website (especially the section on American culture) for a feel for of 1890s America.

1) Mary Lease biography http://iberia.vassar.edu/1896/lease.html

2) New York World report on Lease's speech of August 11, 1896. http://iberia.vassar.edu/1896/leasespeech.html

What issue does Lease argue is most important? What role do you think women had among the Populists?

The issues of money and monetary policy brought people to the polls. But there was more to these issues than meets the eye. The Democrat-Populist nominee, William Jennings Bryan, was a superb orator. Bryan attracted the support of farmers, especially in the Midwest, because he endorsed free silver, but also because he seemed to represent values they admired. The speech Bryan gave at the 1896 Democratic convention spells out the issues and values that concerned Democrat-Populists in 1896. Try to find the values Bryan reflects in his words. Who does he believe are the "real Americans" that shoulder America's burdens? What oratory style does he envoke to argue his points?

3) Cross of Gold Speech    http://www.research.umbc.edu/~lindenme/hist102/bryan.htm

The following article in a Kansas newspaper is a tongue-in-cheek criticism of Bryan and his followers. What is the author accusing Bryan and his followers (many were from Kansas and other midwestern states) of doing to America?

4) What's the Matter With Kansas?      http://www.research.umbc.edu/~lindenme/hist102/white.htm