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Difficulty: MediumGilded Age Politics and the Populist Movement

This excerpt is from a speech delivered by activist Mary Elizabeth Lease to the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in 1890:

'Wall Street owns the country. It is no longer a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, but a government of Wall Street, by Wall Street, and for Wall Street. The great common people of this country are slaves, and monopoly is the master... We want money, land, and transportation.'

Which of the following developments of the late nineteenth century best explains the sentiments expressed in the excerpt?

  1. The growing economic distress of agrarian producers due to declining crop prices and high transportation costsAnswer
  2. B
    The organized efforts of urban middle-class professionals to address consumer safety and clean up municipal government corruption
  3. C
    The federal government's strict adherence to a laissez-faire policy that avoided any economic intervention, including tariffs and land grants
  4. D
    The ratification of constitutional amendments establishing a graduated income tax and the direct election of senators during the 1890s

Answer

The correct answer is the option describing the growing economic distress of agrarian producers due to declining crop prices and high transportation costs.
The correct answer highlights the economic struggles of Gilded Age farmers. Increased agricultural output due to mechanization led to falling crop prices, while high railway freight rates and a tight money supply (the gold standard) plunged farmers into debt. The speech by Mary Elizabeth Lease directly reflects the agrarian outrage against northeastern financial interests and railroad monopolies that culminated in the rise of the Populist movement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the author and historical context of the primary source.
The source is a speech by Mary Elizabeth Lease, a prominent leader of the Populist (People's) Party, delivered in 1890.
Placing the source in its correct historical context links it directly to late nineteenth-century agrarian discontent.
2
Analyze the core grievances expressed in the quote.
The speaker attacks 'Wall Street' and 'monopoly' while demanding reforms regarding 'money, land, and transportation'.
These demands reflect the frustrations of western and southern farmers who felt exploited by credit systems, railroad companies, and monetary policies.
3
Select the option that explains the structural causes of these grievances.
High railroad shipping rates and declining crop prices caused by overproduction and global competition drove farmers to mobilize politically.
These economic realities directly led to the political activism of the Grange, Farmers' Alliances, and the Populist Party.

Key Concept

Gilded Age agrarian discontent and the rise of the Populist movement.
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Topics

Gilded Age Politics and the Populist Movement

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