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Railroad Expansion in West
1st Transcontinental Railroad1869 – east and west
lines joined at Promontory Point, Utah with the “golden spike”
Much of the construction done by Chinese and Irish immigrants
By 1900, four other lines built
Federal Railroad Land GrantsU.S. Gov’t gave loans
and lands to railroad companies to build lines out west.
Helped settlement in the west, but also fraud.One of the cause of
the Credit Mobilier Scandal (bribes) and the Panic of 1873
Lands were surveyed before. Gen. Henry Washburn
after surveying west, went to Congress to encourage them to set some land aside.
Thus the first National Park - Yellowstone
Immigrant RecruitmentAfter the railroads received the lands and
built the railroads, they need people to settle and be customers.
Many were recruited from Scandinavian and other areas of Europe in which industrialization had made a land shortage.
Railroad EffectsOn Nov. 18th, 1883,
Time Zones were started due to railroads wanting standard time.Professor C.F. Dowd’s
plan
Pullman Sleeper CarsOne new way to
travel was with sleeper cars.
“New South” FarmersHenry Grady (editor of the Atlanta Constitution)
argued for diversity and self-sufficient southern economyBut most of the economy was still tied to cotton. More cotton
was planted and prices continued to drop in late 1800s.
Most land (and gov’t) still controlled by rich (Bourbon Rule)
Sharecropping, Crop Lien system, and Tenant Farming still common
George Washington Carver – as a teacher at the Tuskegee Institute he worked to find products that were in abundance (like ________).
Opening up new landsRailroads sold lands cheapHomestead Act – 160 acres (section)
for “free”1)house, 2)farm 10 acres, 3)live on it 5 yearsRemember the Free-Soil Party? Republican repay
them for support.Timber Culture Act – similar, 40 acres of trees (was
not too successful)
Life on the PrairieSodhouses / DugoutsIsolationsLife for Women
Western women first for suffrage (Wyoming)
Advancements in AgricultureJohn Deere – Steel PlowCyrus McCormick – Mechanical Reaper
Also seeders, threshers, and steam engines
Railroads would bring new equipment to farmers with Rural Free Delivery (RFD).Sears & Roebuck, Montgomery Ward using
catalogs
Environmental Effects
From 1880 to 1920 the population of Tornado Alley increased six-fold.
The late 1800s saw a period of usually wet years. Advancements helped more land to be farmed.
1920s and 1930s saw a dry cycle…thus an environmental disaster with the Dust Bowl.
Other Agriculture Information
Morrill Land Grant CollegesTeach basics of agricultureIn Florida (UF and FA&M)
Bonanza Farms – large farms owned by corporations. Established in late 1800s, but dropping grain prices drove many out of business.
Cooperatives – farmers pool resources in a community
How is this much like a Union which were gaining strength at the same time?
Farmers major problem #1
RailroadsShipping / Freight charges
Since most towns only had 1 rail line into town, railroads controlled grain prices to larger cities (St. Paul)
Munn v. Illinois (1877) – Supreme Court said states could regulate businesses
How does this effect you today?
Farmers Problem #2
BanksHigh Interest Rates
As prices dropped, they would have to grow two or three times as much to pay off loans.
Farmers liked Inflation. Why?Greenback Party of 1870s supported by
farmersWould later support bimetallism and Populist
(People’s) Party
Farmer OrganizationNational Grange Movement
Patrons of Husbandry , Oliver Kelley organized in 1868
Started as social organization, but developed into a political one.
Granger Laws/Cases – against railroadsWabash v. Illinois (1886) – states could not regulate
interstate commerceLed to Interstate Commerce Act (1886) – U.S. gov’t could
regulate it.Helped start cooperativesLed to Farmer’s Alliance and with Ocala Platform
(1890) led to many future progressive changes.Income Tax, Direct Election of Senators, lower tariffs, federal
banking system (Fed)
People’s PartyGrange led to Farmer’s Alliance which led to the
Populist (People’s) PartyCoalition of farmers in the West & South and
loose with northern factory workers. (any see an issue that will split coalition?)
Biggest Election they were involved in was the 1896 election.
Women involved too (Mary Lease)Biggest impact will be on Progressive movement
in the next decade.
A major Election to Know1896 Election
Republicans – William McKinleyMarcus Hanna was advisorFront Porch Campaign
Populist/Peoples – William Jennings BryanDemocrats – joined Populist with Bryan
(known as Fusion)Main issue: Bimetallism (dollar backed by
gold and silver)Bryan gives famous Cross of Gold SpeechBut McKinley (and goldbugs) win
Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz was written originally as an allegory
about the bimetallism issue. Can you figure out what and who the different parts/character represent?“Follow the yellow brick road”(in book, not movie) “silver shoes can take you
anywhere”Wicked witch of the EastWicked witch of the WestOzDorothyScarecrowTin ManCowardly LionFlying Monkeys
Reflection QuestionsHow did the Homestead Act and the
Federal Railroad Land Grants change the landscape of America?
What were the main two problems that farmers had and how did they combat them?
What was the impact of the Populist/People’s party on changing history?
Why does it matter whether the dollar is backed by gold, silver, or nothing? What’s good and bad about inflation?
Linkshttp://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydrq2-j92cU – Cross of Gold speech
http://www.indiana.edu/~libsalc/cartoons/1896.html - Political Cartoons, 1896 election
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h854.html - grangers
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5354/ - Cross of Gold info