USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Cotton prices continued to fall and dropped to 7.5¢ a pound by 1892, or about the cost of production. Efforts by farmers to bring economic and political change within the Bourbon-controlled Democratic Party seemed hopeless. This led Mississippi farmers to turn to and support the newly created Populist Party.

Detailed explanation-2: -Hint: Farmers in the South and Midwest revolted against the Democratic and Republican Parties for ignoring their concerns and problems, resulting in the Populist movement. Charismatic or influential figures who present themselves as the “voice of the people” frequently lead populist parties and social movements.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Populist Party consisted primarily of farmers unhappy with the Democratic and Republican Parties. The Populists believed that the federal government needed to play a more active role in the American economy by regulating various businesses, especially the railroads.

Detailed explanation-4: -Bryan wanted the United States to use silver to back the dollar at a value that would inflate the prices farmers received for their crops, easing their debt burden. This position was known as the Free Silver Movement.