The Populist movement arose in the late 19th century as farmers in the South and Midwest organized in response to economic hardship and lack of political representation of their interests. The movement gained some success in gaining votes and control in some states but ultimately failed to achieve its broader aims as it lost independence by merging with the Democrats and faced challenges from factors like the gold standard, new immigration, and an end to the agricultural depression. While short-lived as a political force, the Populist movement illustrated the impact of industrialization on farmers and paved the way for future progressive movements.

1. {
Why did the Populist
movement fail?
1877 – 1900 The Gilded Age
The rise and fall of the populists

2.  The Populist movement was a revolt by
farmers in the South and Midwest against the
Democratic and Republican Parties for ignoring
their interests and difficulties. For over a
decade, farmers were suffering from crop
failures, falling prices, poor marketing, and
lack of credit facilities.
Intro

4.  After the Civil War, farmers all over the United
States were hit with hard times. Although the
growing industrial economy improved
transportation, created new goods, increased farm
production, and opened new markets to farmers,
farmers were increasingly plagued by declining
prices for their goods, high interest rates, economic
depressions, land speculation, bad crop years,
chronic debt, and increased unpredictability of
national and international markets for farm
products. All of these factors contributed to make
farming less profitable.

5. ●
The Populist movement arose primarily in response to the
1890 McKinley Tariff
●
The Farmer's Alliance merged with other liberal Democrats to
form the populist part by the elections of 1892
●
Weaver won more than 1 million votes.
The Rise of Populists

6.  Mckinley's Gold standard Act
The Failure
of Populism

8.  Bryan Campaign
 Merging with the Democrats leads to decline in votes in the
south – loses north Carolina
 Electoral Fusion gives them key advantages but loses their
independence
 Including the new wave of immigration – Increasing by 20mil in
20 years
Continued…

9. Continued
 The Populist movement lost any significant political power
following the election of 1896.
 New Discovery of Gold deposits globally
 End of the agricultural Depression

10.  Though the party ultimately failed to achieve its aims, the
Populist movement illustrated the impact of industrial
expansion on farming
 Forming and developing unions
 Population growth
 Niche market for potential voters
 Backing Democrat Bryan
 Lack of response to losing voters
 Implementation of gold standard by the Mickinley
Conclusion

11. However
● Gained one million votes
● Showed the power of unions
● Paved the way for future progressivism
● Gained Control of North Carolina

12. Sources/Bibliography
●
Eric Foner – Give Me Liberty
●
Charles Postel – The Populist Vision
●
Norman Pollack - The Populist Response to
Industrial America: Midwestern Populist Thought
●
John Hicks - The populist revolt: a history of the
Farmers' Alliance and the People's Party
●
Connie L. Lester - Up from the Mudsills of Hell: The
Farmers' Alliance, Populism, and Progressive
Agriculture in Tennessee, 1870-1915