The document summarizes the rise of the Populist movement in the 1890s among American farmers in response to economic hardship. Various agricultural organizations formed alliances that eventually merged to establish the Populist Party in 1892. The party advocated for policies like tariff reduction, income tax, and government regulation of railroads. While the Populist candidate in 1892 received over 8% of the popular vote, the party did not gain significant power. Economic panics in the 1890s exacerbated farmers' issues and increased their political involvement, but the Populist agenda was halted after their candidate, William Jennings Bryan, lost the 1896 election.