Populism

(Period: Discontent and Reform)

Synopsis:

For a brief synopsis of the history of this time and period: Click Here.

Historical synopsis courtesy of A Hypertext on American History from the colonial period until Modern Times by Department of Humanities Computing, University of Groningen, The Netherlands and the former United States Information Agency (1953-1999).

Key Facts:

• Sharecropping was not a favorable practice for the farmers, who often became burdened by debt.

Key Events:

• Granger movement - a movement by Department of Agriculture employees that sought to change unfavorable conditions for farmers.

Key People:

• Farmers' Alliances - similar to Granger movements, this groups was a political activist group on behalf of farmers.

Vocabulary:

• vagary - drastic unexpected change
• sharecropping - practice of farmers sharing their crop with landowners in exchange for land use and farming supplies.
• Populist - advocate of democratic principles.
• Pragmatic - concerned with matters of fact and practicality