Closing of the West and Populism

Or... Where the Democrats came from

Free Land!

• Homestead Act (1862)

• Morrill Land Grant Act (1862)

• End of Civil War (1865)

• Exodustors

Indian Policies

• Fort Laramie Treaty (1851)

• Assimilation Policies

• Dawes Act

Moving West

• Transcontinental Railroad (1869)

• Homestead Act

• Free Rangers

Closing of the West

• Barbed Wire and the End of Free Ranging.

• Cattle Trails move to Railroads.

• Abilene, Kansas

Granges & Farmers Alliances

• 1867 Oliver Kelley

• Originally, social organization for isolated farmers.

• By 1880’s 4 million members.

Granges Get Political

• Granges organize farming co-ops.

• Banks stop extending credit to Grange co-ops. (Late 1870’s)

• Pro-Grange politicians pass laws against bank policies.

Free Silver

• Farm prices drop through 1880’s -1890’s.

• Granges/ Populists want silver to be accepted currency.

• Banks want gold only.

Populists/ Democrats 1896

• Democrats select William Jennings Bryan as candidate after “Cross of Gold” speech.

• McKinley elected president.