Election of 1896, William McKinley, William Jennings Bryan

Why was the election of 1896 considered a realignment election, and how did it change the future of American politics? This lesson and activity examines the background and impact of populism on the election of 1896. Students will analyze documents and answer corresponding scaffolding questions. They will answer the final summary question to apply their knowledge.

Included in this resource:

Do Now - Harper’s Weekly “Uncle Sam’s Thanksgiving” political cartoon analysis with scaffolding questions
Election of 1896 reading passage with scaffolding graphic organizer questions
Document analysis with scaffolding questions
Document #1 - Election of 1896 electoral map
Document #2 - McKinley campaign poster analysis
Document #3 - Bryan campaign poster analysis
Document #4 - Bryan’s “Cross of Gold” speech analysis
Populists: Radicals or Reactionaries? reading passage with scaffolding questions
William McKinley Election of 1896 POV with scaffolding questions
William Jennings Bryan Election of 1896 POV with scaffolding questions
Application/Closing/Higher-Order Thinking Assessment: Why was the election of 1896 significant for shaping the economic direction of the United States during that period?
Answer key for teachers (suggested)
★Please make an executive decision whether or not this lesson can be executed with your students based upon the preview file. Thank you!

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