The depression of the 1890s and episodes like the Pullman Strike made the election of 1896 shape up as a
A) battle between down-and-out workers and farmers and establishment conservatives.
B) conflict between the insurgent Populists and the two established political parties.
C) sectional conflict with the West aligned against the Northeast and South.
D) contest over the power of the federal government to manage a modern industrial economy like the United States.
E) clash of cultures between ordinary middle-class Americans and European-oriented radicals and reformers.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The election of 1896 was largely seen as a battle between the struggling workers and farmers, represented by William Jennings Bryan and the Populist movement, against the establishment conservatives, represented by William McKinley and the Republican Party. This was due to the economic hardships of the 1890s and labor unrest like the Pullman Strike.

The Depression of the 1890s and Episodes Like the Pullman