Answer 1
The ideal answer should include:
1. One goal was credit reform because farmers wanted better access to credit.
2. The Alliance wanted better oversight of the railroads and reforms of rates.
3. The Alliance wanted a subtreasury system so that they could borrow against their crops.
4. The Alliance had some success with alliances, but eventually they broke apart.
5. Some members of the Farmers' Alliance eventually organized into the Populist Party.
Answer 2
The ideal answer should include:
1. The Populist Party was driven by real issues in the West and South, including falling crop prices and rising debt.
2. They also benefited from the fact that the Democratic and Republican Parties were not addressing these issues.
3. The drop in crop prices hurt farmers, which in turn caused some to push for reform of the money supply.
4. Populists were hurt by their inability to resolve the issue of race.
5. Populists also angered powerful interests who used violence to silence them, particularly in the South.
6. Populists agreed to nominate William Jennings Bryan, the same candidate as the Democrats, in the 1896 election; his failure doomed their overall movement.
Answer 3
Answer: The ideal answer should include:
1. Politics matched society, which at the time was disorderly. This concept is demonstrated by the racial divides in both society and politics.
2. Campaigns were both important and enjoyable, which added to the energy of the political process.
3. Political parties added to this fervor by attempting to control the process in order to gain an advantage.
4. Party identification was public, which added energy and disorder as well.
5. With the spoils system, politics were a way to get a job, which added to the level of interest.
Answer 4
Answer: B
Answer 5
Answer: D
Answer 6
Answer: C