The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz

““A Parable on A Parable on Populism”Populism”

L. Frank BaumL. Frank Baum• Born in 1856 to a wealthy Born in 1856 to a wealthy

family in Pennsylvania.family in Pennsylvania.• 1888- Moves with wife to 1888- Moves with wife to

South Dakota to open a South Dakota to open a store.store.– Business fails due to bad Business fails due to bad

credit.credit.• 1891- Moves to Chicago to 1891- Moves to Chicago to

work for the work for the Evening Post.Evening Post.• 1900- Along with illustrator 1900- Along with illustrator

W.W. Denslow, writes a W.W. Denslow, writes a “modern fairy tale.”“modern fairy tale.”– The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

• Goes on to write 13 other Goes on to write 13 other novels about the land of Oz.novels about the land of Oz.

Baum’s PoliticsBaum’s Politics• Supported William Supported William

Jennings Bryan in 1896.Jennings Bryan in 1896.– Marched in the torchlight Marched in the torchlight

parades.parades.• Wrote a poem for William Wrote a poem for William

McKinley in 1896.McKinley in 1896.• Gave a speech to the Gave a speech to the

Democrats against the Democrats against the Republicans.Republicans.– The next night gave a The next night gave a

speech to the Republicans speech to the Republicans against the Democrats.against the Democrats.

• What was Baum’s politics?What was Baum’s politics?– Relatively unknown!!Relatively unknown!!

The The GoldGold and and SilverSilver MovementMovement

The Money SupplyThe Money Supply

• The total amount The total amount of currency (paper of currency (paper and coin) in and coin) in circulation.circulation.

• 1933- U.S. went to 1933- U.S. went to a fiat-money a fiat-money system.system.– The dollar only has The dollar only has

value because value because people give it value.people give it value.

The The BiBimetallicmetallic Standard Standard

• Mint Act of 1792- the Mint Act of 1792- the basic monetary basic monetary system in the U.S. system in the U.S. would be gold and would be gold and silver coins.silver coins.– Silver coins- 371.25 Silver coins- 371.25

grains of pure silvergrains of pure silver– Gold coins- 24.75 grains Gold coins- 24.75 grains

of pure gold. of pure gold. – 15:1 ratio.15:1 ratio.

• 1834- ratio was raised 1834- ratio was raised to 16:1.to 16:1.

The The Gold Gold StandardStandard

• Gold becomes very Gold becomes very plentiful in 1849.plentiful in 1849.

• Coinage Act of 1873- Coinage Act of 1873- Silver taken off the list Silver taken off the list of coins due to its of coins due to its unpopularity.unpopularity.

• 1875- Congress orders 1875- Congress orders all Civil War all Civil War greenbacks to be greenbacks to be redeemed in Gold.redeemed in Gold.

• American unofficially American unofficially goes on the Gold goes on the Gold Standard.Standard.

The The SilverSilver Standard Standard• 1870’s- Silver producing 1870’s- Silver producing

states in the West states in the West (Nevada, Montana, Idaho) (Nevada, Montana, Idaho) demand a return of silver demand a return of silver to circulation at the 16:1 to circulation at the 16:1 ratio.ratio.

• Sherman Silver Purchase Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890- Congress Act of 1890- Congress purchases silver for purchases silver for coinage.coinage.

• Panic of 1893 is blamed on Panic of 1893 is blamed on the Gold Standard.the Gold Standard.

• Populist Party joins the Populist Party joins the silver crusade.silver crusade.

Populism in AmericaPopulism in America

Farming in AmericaFarming in America

• Farming is the #1 Farming is the #1 industry in the industry in the 1870’s.1870’s.

• Drought, falling Drought, falling prices, and railroad prices, and railroad monopolies place monopolies place an economic strain an economic strain on the farmers.on the farmers.

The National GrangeThe National Grange

• Formed in 1867.Formed in 1867.• Militant organization Militant organization

of farmers against the of farmers against the railroads and railroads and monopolies.monopolies.

• Distrustful of banks Distrustful of banks and metal coins.and metal coins.

• Want to go to Want to go to greenback currency greenback currency whose value was whose value was controlled by the controlled by the government.government.

The Populist PartyThe Populist Party

• Created in the 1890’s by ex-Created in the 1890’s by ex-Greenback Party members.Greenback Party members.

• Omaha PlatformOmaha Platform– Establish a paper money Establish a paper money

system controlled by the system controlled by the government and a 16:1 coin government and a 16:1 coin system.system.

• Run James B. Weaver for Run James B. Weaver for President in 1892.President in 1892.– Carries 4 states (Colorado, Carries 4 states (Colorado,

Kansas, Idaho, and Kansas, Idaho, and Nevada.)Nevada.)

• Nominates William Jennings Nominates William Jennings Bryan along with the Bryan along with the Democrats in the election of Democrats in the election of 1896.1896.

The Wonderful The Wonderful Wizard of OzWizard of Oz

A Political and A Political and Monetary Monetary AllegoryAllegory

DorothyDorothy

• Naïve, young, and Naïve, young, and simple.simple.

• Represents the Represents the American people.American people.

• She is every man She is every man led astray who led astray who seeks a way home.seeks a way home.

The ScarecrowThe Scarecrow

• Represents the Represents the Midwestern farmer.Midwestern farmer.

• Brainless, but Brainless, but clever.clever.

• At the end of the At the end of the book, he is left in book, he is left in charge of Oz. charge of Oz.

• Idea probably taken Idea probably taken from this 1896 from this 1896 cartoon.cartoon.

The Tin WoodsmanThe Tin Woodsman• Represents the Represents the

industrial workers.industrial workers.• The Wicked Witch of the The Wicked Witch of the

East had cursed him so East had cursed him so that every time he that every time he swung his ax he lost a swung his ax he lost a body part.body part.

• Replaced by tin body Replaced by tin body parts that had rusted to parts that had rusted to immobility.immobility.– The Depression of 1893.The Depression of 1893.

• Probably taken from Probably taken from this 1899 soap ad.this 1899 soap ad.

The Cowardly LionThe Cowardly Lion

• William Jennings William Jennings BryanBryan– Tried to run for Tried to run for

President 3 times, President 3 times, but failed.but failed.

• Politicians were Politicians were always drawn as always drawn as lions by 1890’s lions by 1890’s cartoonists.cartoonists.

The TornadoThe Tornado

• Used in 1890’s by Used in 1890’s by cartoonists to cartoonists to represent political represent political upheaval.upheaval.

• Represents the Represents the silver standard silver standard movement that movement that swept the country.swept the country.

KansasKansas

• Populist stronghold Populist stronghold in the 1890’s.in the 1890’s.

• Represents the sad Represents the sad times on a times on a struggling farm in struggling farm in the Midwest.the Midwest.

The WitchesThe Witches• The wicked witches represent the supporters of The wicked witches represent the supporters of

McKinley in the East and the West.McKinley in the East and the West.• The good witches represent the supporters of Bryan The good witches represent the supporters of Bryan

in the North and the South.in the North and the South.

The Yellow Brick RoadThe Yellow Brick Road• Represents the Gold Represents the Gold

Standard.Standard.• Dorothy’s silver slippers Dorothy’s silver slippers

represents the silver represents the silver standard.standard.

• The journey to the The journey to the Emerald City Emerald City (greenbacks) represents (greenbacks) represents how both gold and silver how both gold and silver must work together to must work together to achieve success.achieve success.

• Dorothy could have Dorothy could have clicked her silver shoes 3 clicked her silver shoes 3 times and gone home.times and gone home.– Bryan ran for President 3 Bryan ran for President 3

times.times.

The WizardThe Wizard

• President William President William McKinley.McKinley.

• He appears differently He appears differently to each character.to each character.

• He makes promises he He makes promises he cannot keep.cannot keep.

• Thought to be all-Thought to be all-powerful, but exposed powerful, but exposed to be a charlatan.to be a charlatan.

Other CharactersOther Characters

• The Munchkins- the The Munchkins- the ordinary citizens.ordinary citizens.

• Uncle Henry- Henry Uncle Henry- Henry Wallace, farm Wallace, farm magazine editor.magazine editor.

• The Monkeys- The The Monkeys- The Indians of the Great Indians of the Great Plains.Plains.

• Toto- The Prohibition Toto- The Prohibition movement.movement.– ““Teetotaler”Teetotaler”

The Land of OzThe Land of Oz

• Oz= ounceOz= ounce– The standard unit of The standard unit of

measurement for measurement for silver and gold.silver and gold.

• The Emerald CityThe Emerald City– Green to represent Green to represent

the paper money.the paper money.