Bryan's Cross of Gold Speech

William Jennings Bryan, Democratic National Convention Speech (1896)

“If the gold standard advocates win, this country will be dominated by the financial harpies [monsters] of Wall Street. I am trying to save the American people from disaster- which will mean the enslavement of the farmers, merchants, manufacturers, and laboring classes to the most merciless and unscrupulous gang of speculators on earth-the money power... You come to us and tell us that the great cities are in favor of the gold standard. I tell you that the great cities rest upon these broad and fertile prairies. Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic. But destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country. If they dare to come out in the open field and defend the gold standard as a good thing, we shall fight them to the uttermost, having behind us the producing masses...having behind us the commercial interests and the laboring interests and all the toiling masses, we shall answer their demands for a gold standard by saying to them, you shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold. 

Use the Excerpt and the video (in the Canvas Assignment) to answer the following questions

What does Bryan believe will happen if the US remains on the gold standard? What does he see as the foundation of the US (what group/ financial system)

What groups does Bryan believe oppose the gold standard (and support the Populists) and why?

 Why do you think Bryan refers to the gold standard as a “cross of gold” and a “crown of thorns?” 

 What is the author’s point of view? This refers to who the author is and how who he is would affect his perspective, not just what he thinks, but why he thinks that

What is the Purpose? Need a verb here What is the intent of the speech. NOT what the speech says, but the intent/action of what the speaker WANTS the speech to incite NOT what the speech says

What was the significance of Bryan’s Cross of Gold speech? Why is it important?

How did the Democratic Party’s view of the role of government change?

What was McKinley’s Republican platform? What gave him an advantage?

What were the results of the election of 1896? What did these results indicate about America and the direction in which it was headed?