Arlind Mara Ms.

Driver APUSH 1 March 2012 Document Based Question Prompt: The Election of 1896 illustrated three distinct political factions, the Populists, Democrats, and Republicans. Using the following documents and your knowledge of the politics during the Gilded Age, evaluate the results of the election of 1896. Be sure to include the following information in your answer: a) The views of each political partys candidate and how they differed from each-other b) Who the candidates were, who won, and why.

Document 1

Document 2 Candidate Bryan McKinley Palmer Levering Matchett Party Silver Democratic, Populist Republican Gold Democratic Prohibitionist Socialist Labor 132,871 Popular Votes 6,502,685 7,106,199 --131,757 36,258 ----Electoral Votes 176 271

Document 3 THE PLATFORM OF THE POPULIST PARTY Adopted at St. Louis, July 24th, 1896. The People's party, assembled in National Convention, reaffirms its allegiance to the principles declared by the founders of the Republic, and also to the fundamental principles of just government as enunciated in the platform of the party in 1892. We recognize that, through the connivance of the present and preceding Administrations, the country has reached a crisis in its national life as predicted in our declaration four years ago, and that prompt and patriotic action is the supreme duty of the hour. We realize that, while we have political independence, our financial and industrial independence is yet to be attained by restoring to our country the constitutional control and exercise of the functions necessary to a people's government, which functions have been basely surrendered by our public servant to corporate monopolies. The influence of European money changers has been more potent in shaping legislation than the voice of the American people. Executive power and patronage have been used to corrupt our Legislatures and defeat the will of the people, and plutocracy has thereby been enthroned upon the ruins of Democracy. To restore the Government intended by the fathers and for the welfare and prosperity of this and future generations, we demand the establishment of an economic and financial system which shall make us masters of our own affairs and independent of European control

Document 4

THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. Adopted at Chicago, July 9th, 1896. OPPOSED TO THE GOLD STANDARD-FREE AND UNLIMITED COINAGE-OPPOSED TO THE ISSUE OF BONDS-THE INCOME TAX-SYMPATHY FOR THE CUBANS-OPPOSED TO A THIRD TERM. We, the Democrats of the United States in National Convention assembled, do reaffirm our allegiance to those great essential principles of justice and liberty upon which our institutions are founded, and which the Democratic party has advocated from Jefferson's time to our own--freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of conscience, the separation of personal rights, the equality of all citizens before the law, and the faithful observance of constitutional limitations. During all these years the Democratic Party has resented the tendency of selfish interests to the centralization of Government power, and steadfastly maintained the integrity of the dual scheme of Government established by the founders of this Republic of republics. Under its guidance and teachings the great principle of local self-government has found its best expression in the maintenance of the rights of States and in its assertion of the necessity of confining the General Government to the exercise of the powers granted by the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution of the United States guarantees to every citizen the rights of civil and religious liberty. The Democratic Party has always been the exponent of political liberty and religious freedom, and it renews its obligations and reaffirms its devotion to these fundamental principles of the Constitution. The Money Question. Recognizing that the money question is paramount to all others at this time, we invite attention to the fact that the Federal Constitution names silver and gold together as the money metals of the United States, and that the first coinage law passed by Congress under the Constitution made the silver dollar the monetary unit of value and admitted gold to free coinage at a ratio based upon the silver dollar unit. The Demonetization of Silver. We declare that the act of 1873 demonetizing silver without the knowledge or approval of the American people, has resulted in the appreciation of gold and a corresponding fall in the prices of commodities produced by the people; a heavy increase in the burden of taxation and of all debts, public and private; the enrichment of the money-lending class at home and abroad; prostration of industry and impoverishment of the people. Opposed to the Gold Standard. We are unalterably opposed to monometallism, which has locked fast the prosperity of an industrial people in the paralysis of hard times. Gold monometallism is a British policy, and its adoption has brought other nations into financial servitude to London. It is not only un-American, but anti-American, and it can be fastened on the United States only by the stifling of that spirit and love of liberty which proclaimed our political independence in 1776 and won it in the War of the Revolution.

Document 5 THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM Adopted at St. Louis, June 18th, 1896. FOR THE EXISTING GOLD STANDARD AND PROTECTION-UNMISTAKABLE UTTERANCES OF THE CONVENTION-AMERICAN INTERESTS TO BE ADVANCED AT HOME AND ABROAD-THE MONROE DOCTRINE REAFFIRMED-SYMPATHY FOR CUBA. The Republicans of the United States, assembled by their representatives in National Convention, appealing for the popular and historical justification of their claims to the matchless achievements of thirty years of Republican rule, earnestly and confidently address themselves to the awakened intelligence, experience, and conscience of their countrymen in the following declaration of facts and principles: For the first time since the Civil War the American people have witnessed the calamitous consequences of full and unrestricted Democratic control of the Government. It has been a record of unparalleled incapacity, dishonor and disaster. In administrative management it has ruthlessly sacrificed indispensable revenue, entailed an unceasing deficit, eked out ordinary current expenses with borrowed money, piled up the public debt by $262,000,000 in time of peace, forced an adverse balance of trade, kept a perpetual menace hanging over the redemption fund, pawned American credit to alien syndicates, and reversed all the measures and results of successful Republican rule. In the broad effect of its policy it has precipitated panic, blighted industry and trade with prolonged depression, closed factories, reduced work and wages, halted enterprise and crippled American production, while stimulating foreign production for the American market. Every consideration of public safety and individual interest demands that the Government shall be rescued from the hands of those who have shown themselves incapable of conducting it without disaster at home and dishonor abroad, and shall be restored to the party which for thirty years administered it with unequalled success and prosperity. And in this connection we heartily endorse the wisdom, patriotism and the success of the Administration of President [Benjamin] Harrison. Allegiance to Protection Renewed. We renew and emphasize our allegiance to the policy of Protection as the bulwark of American industrial independence and the foundation of American development and prosperity. This true American policy taxes foreign products and encourages home industry; it puts the burden of revenue on foreign goods; it secures the American market for the American producer; it upholds the American standard of wages for the American workingman; it puts the factory by the side of the farm, and makes the American farmer less dependent on foreign demand and prices; it diffuses general thrift and founds the strength of all on the strength of each. In its reasonable application it is just, far and impartial, equally opposed to foreign control and domestic monopoly, to sectional discrimination and individual favoritism. We denounce the present Democratic tariff as sectional, injurious to the public credit and destructive to business enterprise. We demand such an equitable tariff on foreign imports which come into competition with American products, as will not only furnish adequate revenue for the necessary expenses of the Government, but will protect American labor from degradation to the wage level of other lands. We are not pledged to any particular schedules. The question of rates is a practical question, to be governed by the conditions of the time and of production; the ruling and uncompromising principle is the protection and development of American labor and industry.

Document 6 Cross of Gold Speech: William Jennings Bryan 1896 My friends, we declare that this nation is able to legislate for its own people on every question, without waiting for the aid or consent of any other nation on earth; and upon that issue we expect to carry every state in the Union. I shall not slander the inhabitants of the fair state of Massachusetts nor the inhabitants of the state of New York by saying that, when they are confronted with the proposition, they will declare that this nation is not able to attend to its own business. It is the issue of 1776 over again. Our ancestors, when but three million in number, had the courage to declare their political independence of every other nation; shall we, their descendants, when we have grown to seventy millions, declare that we are less independent than our forefathers? No, my friends, that will never be the verdict of our people. Therefore, we care not upon what lines the battle is fought. If they say bimetallism is good, but that we cannot have it until other nations help us, we reply, that instead of having a gold standard because England has, we will restore bimetallism, and then let England have bimetallism because the United States has it. If they dare to come out in the open field and defend the gold standard as a good thing, we will fight them to the uttermost. Having behind us the producing masses of this nation and the world, supported by the commercial interests, the laboring interests and the toilers everywhere, we will answer their demand for a gold standard by saying to them: You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.

Document 7

Document 8

Document Bibliography All documents obtained from: APUSH WebLinks at History Teacher (.net). Web. 1 March 2012 <http://www.historyteacher.net/APUSH-Course/Weblinks/Weblinks18.htm>

Possible outside Information Populist Ideology Populists supported: 1.Strong state 2.Nationalization of railroads and communications 3.Protection of land, including the natural resources, from monopolies and foreign ownership 4.Graduated income tax 5.Unlimited coinage of silver Money and Politics: Free Silver Farmers wanted free silver because they hoped that it would increase the money supply, which would raise farm prices. Because the Populists supported free silver, which was a widespread issue, they compromised their identity as an independent movement. The sound money people creditors, people on fixed incomes, established businessmen didnt want more money in circulation because it would inflate prices and reduce the real cost of borrowing. When the Lincoln administration printed greenbacks during the Civil War, the U.S. Treasury replaced the state banks as the source for easy money. After the war, there was debate over whether or not the U.S. Treasury should remain in that position. In 1875, the circulation of greenbacks as legal tender ended, ant the U.S. entered a period of deflation. Free silver advocates won two minor victories in Congress: 1.Bland-Allison Act of 1878: Required the U.S. Treasury to buy between $2 million - $4 million worth of silver each month. 2.Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890: An additional 4.5 million ounces of silver bullion was to be purchased monthly. This silver would serve as the basis for new U.S. Treasury notes. Free silver became a defining issue between parties; it radicalized the Democrats. Because the Democrats were in power, they had to deal with the economic crisis. Cleveland made it a big deal, using force to disperse strikes (like the Pullman strike). Cleveland and Free Silver Cleveland favored sound money, and he convinced Congress to repeal the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. Then, Cleveland made secret negotiations to replenish the treasurys depleted gold reserves. These secret negotiations isolated Cleveland from the Democratic Party. William Jennings Bryan and the Cross of Gold The Democrats repudiated Cleveland, and William Jennings Bryan became the leader of the silver Democrats. He won the presidential nomination with his attack on the gold standard, his Cross of Gold speech. His speech meant that the Democrats had become the free silver party. Out of necessity, the Populists also nominated Bryan as their candidate. This absorbed the Populists into the Democratic Party. The Republicans nominated William McKinley. He stood for all of the virtues of Republicanism: high tariffs, sound money, and prosperity. This became the most hard-fought election since the one in 1860. Ethnocultural influences were a strong factor in the campaign. McKinley represented the ethnically mixed district of northeastern Ohio. He appealed to immigrants and working class citizens. On the other hand, Bryan didnt appeal to the traditional Democratic voters. McKinley won the election, with the Republicans turning the economic and cultural challenges to their advantage.

The Election of 1896 was the first modern and also the most complicated election in History. The fight was between William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan. There are many aspects that led William McKinley won the election despite he was supporting gold standard unlike Bryan supporting bimetallism. William McKinley was from Ohio States. With the help of Rutherford B. Hayes, McKinley was elected as a Republican to the United States House of Representative(1877 to 1882). He was re-elected in 1885 for second term from 1885 to 1891. After leaving Congress, McKinley ran for Governor of Ohio where he got victory against Democrat James E. Campbell. He was reelected in 1883 over Lawrence T. Neal. As governor, he imposed an excise tax on corporation, secured safety legislation for transportation workers and restricted anti-union practices of employers. Governor McKinley left office in early 1896 and, at the instigation of his friend Marcus Hanna began actively campaigning for the Republican Party's presidential nomination. McKinley's well-known expertise on the tariff issue, successful record as governor, and genial personality appealed to many Republican voters. After winning the nomination, he went home and conducted his famous "front porch campaign." His opponent was William Jennigns Bryan, who was 41st United States Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson Presidency. He was nominated for presidential election. Contrary McKinley's Gold Standard, he supported "free silver" and money. McKinley was against silver because it was a debased currency and overseas markets used gold, so it would harm foreign trade. McKinley promised that he would promote industry and and guarantee prosperity for every group in a pluralistic nation. A Democratic cartoon ridiculed the promise, saying it would rock the boat. McKinley replied that the protective tariff would bring prosperity to all groups, city and country alike, while Bryan's free silver would create inflation but no new jobs, would bankrupt railroads, and would permanently damage the economy. Bryan was known as very charismatic, emotional, conservative; due to his ethics and religious factors he lost a lot of votes from farmers from urban areas and ethnic groups. McKinley was able to succeed in getting votes from the urban areas and ethnic labor groups. Due to listed reasons above, McKinley was able to defeat Bryan by a large margin.

Rubric for The 8-9 essay: Contains a well-developed thesis that clearly analyzes all three parties views and how they led to McKinley winning the election of 1896. Presents an effective analysis of both sides of the item in question; treatment may be uneven (the better essays try to devote about equal coverage to both sides). In this particular essay, the student clearly describes and analyzes the views of all three political factions. Supports thesis with substantial and relevant information obtained from the documents AND his/her knowledge of the politics in the era of the gilded age. Is clearly organized and well written May contain minor errors In a DBQ question, a substantial number of documents are used (at least 6) and significant outside information is also included in the response. Possible outside information can be found on the Possible Outside Information section of this document.

Introduction: The presidential election of 1896 was a very significant election in the United States History as it illustrated three distinct political parties. These political factions were the Populists - who supported a strong state, nationalization of railroads and communications, protection of land, including the natural resources, from monopolies and foreign ownership, graduated income tax and unlimited coinage of silver- the Democrats-who supported coinage of silver- and the Republicans- who supported the gold standard. The Democrats repudiated Cleveland, and William Jennings Bryan became the leader of the silver Democrats. He won the presidential nomination with his attack on the gold standard, his Cross of Gold speech. His speech meant that the Democrats had become the free silver party. Out of necessity, the Populists also nominated Bryan as their candidate, thing which absorbed the Populists into the Democratic Party. The Republicans nominated William McKinley who stood for all of the virtues of Republicanism: high tariffs, sound money, and prosperity. McKinley was against silver because it was a debased currency and overseas markets used gold, so it would harm foreign trade. McKinley promised that he would promote industry and and guarantee prosperity for every group in a pluralistic nation. A Democratic cartoon ridiculed the promise, saying it would rock the boat. McKinley replied that the protective tariff would bring prosperity to all groups, city and country alike, while Bryan's free silver would create inflation but no new jobs, would bankrupt railroads, and would permanently damage the economy. Ethno-cultural influences were a strong factor in the campaign. McKinley represented the ethnically mixed district of northeastern Ohio. He appealed to immigrants and working class citizens. On the other hand, Bryan didnt appeal to the traditional Democratic voters. Seeing as McKinley was able to appeal to many social groups, and that his plans could account for a stable economy, McKinley was able to win enough electoral votes to beat Bryan and become the President of the United States.