Use this Lesson with the Ignatius Donnelly and the 1892 Populist Platform Narrative and the William Jennings Bryan, "Cross of Gold," speech 1896 speech Primary Source to give students a deeper understanding of Gilded Age political platforms.

Objectives:

• Students will analyze excerpts from political platforms of the Populist and Socialist parties to compare their philosophies regarding the economic and political problems of the 1890s, along with their proposed solutions.
• Students will discuss ways in which the political parties expressed similarities and differences on the basis of life experiences, problems, and group identities of those who gravitated to populism and those who gravitated to socialism.
• Students will analyze how Populists and Socialists sought to shape American society and institutions.

• Handout A: Populist Party Platform Excerpts
• Handout B: Social Democratic Party Platform Excerpts
• Handout C: Comparison of Populist and Socialist Platforms

In addition to the lesson packet, students will need highlighters and/or colored pencils for marking up the documents they will analyze. Recommended colors are orange (problems), green (proposed solutions), and red (to underline similarities and circle differences in the documents).

Before the lesson, write on the board or prepare to project the following:

• Warm-Up quotes (See Cards A and B)
• Reflection and Analysis Questions