The The Wizard Wizard of Ozof Oz

LanguageLanguage Preview – you do not need to take Preview – you do not need to take

notes yetnotes yet We need to understand the following We need to understand the following

terms to glean from the reading terms to glean from the reading what’s importantwhat’s important Political partyPolitical party PlatformPlatform Economic depressionEconomic depression AllegoryAllegory

To DoTo Do

1. Flip your lecture handout over1. Flip your lecture handout over 2. For the following groups, write the 2. For the following groups, write the

group name, their goals, & the resultgroup name, their goals, & the result Ex:Ex:

Group: National GrangeGroup: National Grange Goal: regulate RR ratesGoal: regulate RR rates Result: Interstate Commerce ActResult: Interstate Commerce Act

Foundations of PopulismFoundations of Populism

National Grange National Grange Goal:Goal:

Regulate railroad Regulate railroad ratesrates

Result: Result: Interstate Interstate

Commerce Act Commerce Act (reasonable rates)(reasonable rates)

*1*1stst time federal time federal gov’t passed a law gov’t passed a law to regulate industryto regulate industry

Farmer’s Alliance Farmer’s Alliance (1870s)(1870s)

Goal:Goal: Wanted Wanted gov’t to print gov’t to print

more moneymore money Farmers believed they Farmers believed they

could charge more if could charge more if more money was in more money was in circulationcirculation

Result:Result: Led to Led to the organization the organization

of the of the Populist PartyPopulist Party

Populist PartyPopulist Party

Aka: Aka: People’s PartyPeople’s Party Alliance of farmers, labor leaders, reformersAlliance of farmers, labor leaders, reformers

Goal:Goal: Bank regulation, gov’t ownership of Bank regulation, gov’t ownership of

railroads, unlimited silver coinagerailroads, unlimited silver coinage Result:Result:

Candidate Candidate lost in 1896 electionlost in 1896 election Issues faded as they were resolvedIssues faded as they were resolved

Notes continuedNotes continued

Flip over your handout to the front Flip over your handout to the front side & fill in the red bold definitions side & fill in the red bold definitions for the terms on your worksheetfor the terms on your worksheet

BackgroundBackground

After the Gilded Age After the Gilded Age (economic (economic prosperity) prosperity) farmers experienced farmers experienced economic downturns.economic downturns.

Farmers wanted gov’t ownership of Farmers wanted gov’t ownership of railroads and other industriesrailroads and other industries

They were losing land to railroads & banksThey were losing land to railroads & banks Economic problems were blamed Pres. Economic problems were blamed Pres.

Cleveland’s switch from a gold & silver to a Cleveland’s switch from a gold & silver to a gold standard for currencygold standard for currency

Populist MovementPopulist Movement

The Populist movement was born of the The Populist movement was born of the farmers frustrations farmers frustrations and their attempt to and their attempt to gain political gain political change through politicschange through politics

In 1892 the Populist party was formed In 1892 the Populist party was formed and ran a candidate for President, with and ran a candidate for President, with the following key elements of their the following key elements of their platformplatform:: A return to the A return to the gold and silver standardgold and silver standard Government ownership of the railroadsGovernment ownership of the railroads

William Jennings BryanWilliam Jennings Bryan

1896 Presidential Election1896 Presidential Election William McKinley vs. William Jennings William McKinley vs. William Jennings

BryanBryan Bryan Bryan – Populist candidate in 1896– Populist candidate in 1896

““You shall not crucify mankind upon You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.” - Bryana cross of gold.” - Bryan

Frank L. BaumFrank L. Baum

Author of the Author of the Wizard of OzWizard of Oz

Moved to and lived Moved to and lived in the Midwest in the Midwest during the late during the late 1800s and saw 1800s and saw first hand some of first hand some of the conditions that the conditions that the Populist Party the Populist Party was trying to deal was trying to deal with.with.

The CharactersThe Characters

1.1. DorothyDorothy2.2. Wicked Witch of Wicked Witch of

the Eastthe East3.3. Ruby (Silver) Ruby (Silver)

SlippersSlippers4.4. Yellow Brick RoadYellow Brick Road5.5. Emerald CityEmerald City6.6. The ScarecrowThe Scarecrow7.7. The Tin ManThe Tin Man

8.8. The LionThe Lion9.9. Wicked Witch of Wicked Witch of

the Westthe West10.10. Flying MonkeysFlying Monkeys11.11. The Wizard The Wizard 12.12. Glinda (the good Glinda (the good

witch)witch)13.13. TotoToto14.14. Getting HomeGetting Home

DorothyDorothy

Represented Represented AmericaAmerica----honest and honest and plucky, plucky, kindheartedkindhearted

She is lost and She is lost and trying to find trying to find her way homeher way home

Wicked Witch of the EastWicked Witch of the East

Wicked Witch of the EastWicked Witch of the East

Represents Represents Eastern BankersEastern Bankers

Shows what will happen to them if Shows what will happen to them if they continue foreclosuresthey continue foreclosures

Ruby (Silver) SlippersRuby (Silver) Slippers

Taken from Taken from the WWEthe WWE

Represent Represent the the silver silver standard standard issueissue

Yellow Brick RoadYellow Brick RoadGold StandardGold Standard

Emerald CityEmerald CityWashington D.CWashington D.C. – Where all of the . – Where all of the

problems are supposed to be solved problems are supposed to be solved

The ScarecrowThe Scarecrow Represents the Represents the

American American farmerfarmer--thinks --thinks he lacks brains, he lacks brains, but in the book but in the book he's quite he's quite shrewd and shrewd and helps the helps the journey to D.C.journey to D.C.

The Tin ManThe Tin Man

Represents the Represents the alienated alienated working classworking class. . Once he was all Once he was all flesh and blood, flesh and blood, now they are now they are just machines just machines in an industrial in an industrial age.age.

The LionThe Lion

The Cowardly LionThe Cowardly Lion

Courage (Courage (BaumBaum himself) himself)

OROR William Jennings William Jennings BryanBryan (1886 (1886 Pres. Candidate vs. McKinley) – Pres. Candidate vs. McKinley) – “Cross of Gold” speech“Cross of Gold” speech

Wicked Witch of the WestWicked Witch of the West

The Wicked Witch of the The Wicked Witch of the WestWest

Represent s the other opponent of Represent s the other opponent of the farmers – the farmers – naturenature..

Killed by water = ironyKilled by water = irony

Flying MonkeysFlying Monkeys

Flying MonkeysFlying Monkeys

Represent the plains Represent the plains IndiansIndians who who continued to swoop down and harass continued to swoop down and harass the Midwestthe Midwest

The Wizard The Wizard Probably Pres.

Cleveland, hated for taking away the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. Behind curtain pulling levers--machine politics controlling things. Only provides the heroes with symbolic rewards.

Glinda (The Good Witch)Glinda (The Good Witch)

GlindaGlinda

Represents the Represents the Southern PopulistsSouthern Populists

The answer is there all the time – The answer is there all the time – realization of the importance of silver realization of the importance of silver will show the farmers, and America, will show the farmers, and America, the way homethe way home

TotoTotoProhibition Party Prohibition Party (also called the “Tea (also called the “Tea

Totalers”) a nickname: TOTOTotalers”) a nickname: TOTO

Getting HomeGetting HomeTo get home, all you had to do was click To get home, all you had to do was click the ruby (silver) slippers on the Yellow the ruby (silver) slippers on the Yellow Brick Road (gold & silver standard) to Brick Road (gold & silver standard) to

get homeget home

ReadingReading

We’re going to read an article to find We’re going to read an article to find out what Oz & the Munchkins out what Oz & the Munchkins represent.represent.

As you read, consider whether various As you read, consider whether various groups (see next pg) would be for (in groups (see next pg) would be for (in favor of) or against the Populist Partyfavor of) or against the Populist Party Make a chart on the back of your notes Make a chart on the back of your notes

(see example)(see example)

ChartChart

Point of View For or Against Populist Party

Reasoning (justification)

Farmer

Banker

Railroad Owner

Democrat