Sunday, February 3, 2008

The Gilded Age 3 01/30/08

Farmers are discontented

Role in society is changing

Mass exodus from rural areas to urban areas

Exceptionally high mortgages

Homestead Act provides insufficient land

Need to take out more mortgages to get more land

High debt

Machines expensive

Environmental issues

Locusts

Dependent on a world market

Prices for goods were very low

Railroads

Dictated time tables and price of shipping

Railroads gave discounts to industrialist that made RR materials

Kickbacks to gov. officials

Farmers band together in Populist party

Small rural areas had granges

Community centers

Would discuss RR prices

Mund v. Illinois

1880's: Farmers Alliance

Grain silo

Subdivided into regions

Helps regulate supply and demand

Creates Populist Party


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