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Part I: Populism
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by Jeff Bloodworth
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio
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Though it lived out most of its lifespan in the nineteenth century, the Populist movement is a quintessentially modern phenomenon. The movement emerged from the Great Plains; Populists were generally rural landowners who were enraged by collapsing agricultural prices and threatened by the emerging urban industrial order. When their agitation for federal aid fell on deaf ears, they built the People's Party, which won legislative seats and governor's mansions throughout the South, the Great Plains, and the West. After the Democrats co-opted the movement with failed presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan in 1896, its issues were subsumed and the movement rapidly declined. Historians continue to argue over the degree to which the Populist campaign for federal intervention in the marketplace was carried on by a contemporary political movement, Progressivism.
The American 1890s: A Chronology
This Web site is relatively simple and straightforward. It features very few links and its primary offering is a timeline in which the major events of the decade are outlined. Other sections of the site focus on the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, popular music of the era, a virtual tour of an 1890s Ohio town, and Frank Norris (linked from the timeline). Sections detailing the era's social history give students a glimpse into an era that was on the cusp of modernity and feeling the pangs of industrialization and modernization.
To understand the "age of reform," 1890-1945, students need a strong foundation in the history of the 1890s. This decade was filled with enough turmoil, strife, and economic calamity to render it an era unto itself. Thus, the impetus behind Populist and Progressive reform lay in that decade.
The section on the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 details this historic event, which marked the four hundreth anniversary of Christopher Columbus's landing. It is relatively brief, offers a few links, and is appropriate for a range of grade levels. Likewise, the "Popular Music" section is brief but offers interesting nuggets of cultural history for a wide range of students. The "Crystal City" link offers a virtual tour of a 1890s boomtown located in northern industrial Ohio. The section on naturalist author Frank Norris is disappointing as it is much too brief, but the rise of naturalism should interest advanced upper-level students.
Finally, the timeline is the site's most valuable offering. This is a good resource for teachers or students who need to quickly brush up on their chronology of events. This site fails to feature anything fancy but it is a good resource for the social and cultural history of a tumultuous era, one that necessitated a series of reform movements.
 The American 1890s: A Chronology
Populism
Professor Robert Miller's Web site is a very useful resource that succinctly defines, explains, and humanizes Populism and the Populists. An expert on Populism who has written widely on the subject, Miller offers nine links to Populism-related content on his site. Three sections, "Farmers and Third Party Politics," "The Lost World of Gilded Age Politics," and "Historiography of Populism," are particularly valuable and offer succinct summaries of Populism and the varying interpretations of the movement. Though the three sections may not be appropriate for all classes, teachers, at least, will benefit from these essays.
In addition to the essays, Miller's site offers links to primary documents and political cartoons that are appropriate for any AP history course. Unlike many Web sites, Miller's includes concise explanations contextualizing the document for the audience. The political cartoons, compiled from Populist newspapers, are visually interesting and Miller uses non-jargon-laced language that students can understand.
Miller's "Documents on the Populist Party" section offers nine key primary documents related to the Populist movement. While these documents are written in nineteenth-century prose and require explanation, they offer an excellent opportunity for students to work with primary sources. The additional sections in the Web site are probably too advanced for most AP students and should be avoided. Moreover, the section titled "Links to Other Populism Websites" offers only one site, which is not particularly valuable.
Despite its shortcomings, this is a valuable site that AP history teachers should consult before they plunge into teaching a section on Populism. The trick in teaching students about Populism is to place the epoch in its particular social and political context. In this way, students can understand the motivations behind the actions of these otherwise inscrutable farmers.
Populism
Turn Me On, Dead Man
This Web site is not for all AP U.S. History classes. However, it is an excellent tool for advanced students, as it introduces them to literary interpretation as well as further contextualizing Populism. By using The Wizard of Oz, students will learn about literary interpretation and Populism while enjoying a classic American movie in a different context.
The oddly named Web site Turn Me On, Dead Man details Henry Littlefield's interpretation that The Wizard of Oz was a "parable on Populism." In 1964, while Littlefield was teaching high school, he published a now famous article in which he argued that Frank Baum's book, The Wizard of Oz, was a symbolic allegory of the Populism movement. Though this interpretation is debatable, students will love how Littlefield's argument transforms a staid subject and cultural icon into an interpretive and political battlefield.
The site defines Littlefield's interpretation in accessible and jargon-free language through a series of twelve links. Though a few sections, such as "Oz and Sexuality" and "Oz and Drugs," are probably not suitable for high school students, these links are the exception. The site offers valuable ideas and a fun way to teach about Populism and literary interpretation. In this way, students can apply what they have learned about Populism and figure out which movie character corresponds to an actual person or archetype in the movement.
The Web site is an excellent starting point for assigning an essay to students in which they offer their own interpretation of the movie as an allegory of Populism. Through the assignment, students can apply their historical knowledge and ply their newfound skill in literary interpretation. The site has few bells and whistles but it offers some sound ideas that will make Populism fun and exciting.
Turn Me On, Dead Man
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