Monday september 19

[4jordanG]

Today is work day.During the civil war the economy went into a huge slump.the government produced $500 million of money called greenback, but the problem was that they didn't have any gold to back it up so it become pretty much worhtless.During and after the war when people borrowed this money they ended having to pay back more then what it was worth.Also during the time period of 1867 and 1887 the crops did very poor and the price per bushel dropped from $2.00 to .67 cents.On top of the hardship of falling prices the price to ship grain dramastically rose. since there was lack of competition on the railroad ment that it may cost more to ship grain.In 1867, Oliver Hudson Kelley started the patrons of Husbandry. This was an organization for farmers which came to be known as Grangethis group was to provide a social outlet and an educational forum for isolated farm families. but for the most part they spent most of their time and energy fighting the railroads.The Grange’s battle plan included teaching its members how to organize, how to set up farmers’ cooperatives, and how to sponsor state legislation to regulate railroads.Many of these farmers spent their time training and helping other farmers organize.they also helped them to go speak and educate people to lower interest rates and loans to help them.Membership in these groups grew to more than 4 million people. these people were mostly in the south and the west.The southerner alliance included mostly white southern farmers and was the largest organization.the Colored farmers national alliance consisted of more then 250,000 blacks.In 1892 the populist group was born. On July 2, 1892 the first populism meeting was held in Omaha, Nebraska and they demanded that reforms lift the burden of debt farmers and other workers and give the people greater voice in their governmnet.