Who gave the speech known as the Cross of gold?
The famous speech that William Jennings Bryan gave at the Democratic convention of 1896 became known as the “Cross of Gold” speech. Hope this answers your question.
Who did Cross of Gold speech appeal to?
Cross of Gold speech, classic of American political oratory that was delivered by William Jennings Bryan during the platform debate at the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Bryan’s plea for the coinage of silver so electrified the convention that it made him the Democratic candidate for president.
What does cross of gold stand for?
cross of gold noun A public policy which puts the interests of the rich ahead of those of the poor. Etymology: Originating from a speech by US politician William Jennings Bryan in 1896, describing a metaphorical crucifixion of the working class by maintaining the gold standard.
Who gave the speech for the Cross Gold speech?
William Jennings Bryan delivered his “Cross of Gold” speech at the Democratic National Convention in July of 1896 as part of his bid for the party’s presidential nomination. Bryan begins the speech by esteeming his political colleagues, noting that regardless of their view, they are eloquent speakers and great thinkers.
What was the cross of gold speech simple?
The Cross of Gold speech was a famous speech at the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois by William Jennings Bryan. He wanted silver and not gold to be America's bullion standard. It was his goal to create inflation to help those in debt.
What was the purpose of the cross of gold speech quizlet?
Delivered by William Jennings Bryan at the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The speech advocated bimetallism. At the time, the Democratic Party wanted to standardize the value of the dollar to silver and opposed pegging the value of the United States dollar to a gold standard.
What was the significance of William Jennings Bryans cross of gold speech in which he famously said you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold quizlet?
Bryan supported bimetallism, or free silver, which he believed would bring the naiton prosperity. He vehemently oposed the gold standard, and famously said, "you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold". The speech helped put him on as the Democratic presidential nomination.
What was the goal of bimetallism?
Bimetallism was intended to increase the supply of money, stabilize prices, and facilitate setting exchange rates. Some scholars argued that bimetallism was inherently unstable owing to Gresham's law, and that its replacement by a monometallic standard was inevitable.
What is the significance of bimetallism?
Bimetallism is a monetary system that's based on the value of two metals, usually gold and silver. Bimetallism was very popular during the early and late 1800's. The most significant benefit of bimetallism is the fact that it allows countries to keep a larger reserve of precious metals to circulate money.
What did Williams Jennings Bryan mean when he stated You shall not crucify mankind on a cross of gold in his famous 1896 speech?
What did William Jennings Bryan mean when he stated, “You shall not crucify mankind on a cross of gold” in his famous 1896 speech? The United States should abandon the gold standard to stimulate industry.
What was the significance of William Jennings Bryan's candidacy for president in 1896 quizlet?
What was the significance of William Jennings Bryan's candidacy for president in 1896? He backed Populist causes.
Which of the following was most likely the result of Bryan's speech?
Which of the following was most likely the result of Bryan's speech? He united the Populist Party with the Democratic party to run against the Republicans.
Who gave the Cross of Gold?
The Cross of Gold speech was delivered by William Jennings Bryan, a former United States Representative from Nebraska, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on July 9, 1896. In the address, Bryan supported bimetallism or " free silver ", which he believed would bring the nation prosperity.
Why was Bryan criticized for his speech?
Judge magazine criticized Bryan for sacrilege in his speech. He is shown with crown and cross, but trampling the Bible. Most contemporary press accounts attributed Bryan's nomination to his eloquence, though in the case of Republican and other gold-favoring newspapers, they considered it his demagoguery.
Who was the Democratic leader in 1893?
The financial Panic of 1893 intensified the debates, and when Democratic President Grover Cleveland continued to support the gold standard against the will of much of his party, activists became determined to take over the Democratic Party organization and nominate a silver-supporting candidate in 1896.
Why did the Bland-Allison Act not end calls for free silver?
Implementation of the Bland–Allison Act did not end calls for free silver. The 1880s saw a steep decline in the prices of grain and other agricultural commodities. Silver advocates argued that this dropoff, which caused the price of grain to fall below its cost of production, was caused by the failure of the government to adequately increase the money supply, which had remained steady on a per capita basis. Advocates of the gold standard attributed the decline to advances in production and transportation. The late 19th century saw divergent views in economics as the laissez-faire orthodoxy was questioned by younger economists, and both sides found ample support for their views from theorists.
What did the Cross of Gold mean?
What Did the "Cross of Gold" Speech Mean? The Cross of Gold was a speech given by William Jennings Bryan at the Democratic National Convention in 1896 which advocated for bimetallism, or the use of both gold and silver in funding the currency.
Why was the speech "Bimetallism" important?
This speech was important because it turned a large part of the Democratic party into bimetallism supporters. Later Democrats like Huey Long and Franklin Delano Roosevelt drew on this speech, either copying the form directly or appealing to the same audience. ADVERTISEMENT.
What was the Democratic Party split over?
The Democratic party was split over whether to support the gold platform or to advocate the use of silver. What the silver-supporting Democrats were calling for was a system in which both gold and silver were used in making the currency. Gold would still be more valuable than silver, and the amount of silver to gold would be a 16:1 ratio.
Who was the candidate for the Democratic National Convention in 1896?
There was no doubt the platform would endorse the unlimited coinage of silver, but a candidate was needed who could sell the position to the American people. On the night of July 8, William Jennings Bryan revealed himself as the candidate the silverites were looking for by delivering one of the most famous speeches in American history. At the time, Bryan was a former member of Congress from Nebraska who had been working tirelessly to build support for his candidacy. His passionate speech electrified the crowd and convinced the members of the convention to nominate him as their candidate on the fifth ballot. Bryan then ran a whistle-stop campaign (a train tour bringing his message to the people), traveling around the country giving hundreds of speeches before finally losing to Republican William McKinley.
What was the central issue of the 1895 Democratic Party?
On the 4th of March, 1895, a few Democrats, most of them members of Congress, issued an address to the Democrats of the nation asserting that the money question was the paramount issue of the hour; asserting also the right of a majority of the Democratic party to control the position of the party on this paramount issue; concluding with the request that all believers in free coinage of silver in the Democratic party should organize and take charge of and control the policy of the Democratic party. Three months later, at Memphis, an organization was perfected, and the silver Democrats went forth openly and boldly and courageously proclaiming their belief and declaring that if successful they would crystallize in a platform the declaration what they had made; and then began the conflict with a zeal approaching the zeal which inspired the crusaders who followed PETER the Hermit. [1] Our silver Democrats went forth from victory unto victory until they are assembled now, not to discuss, not to debate, but to enter up the judgment rendered by the plain people of this country.
Has there ever been such a contest as that through which we have passed?
Never before in the history of this country has there been witnessed such a contest as that through which we have passed. Never before in the history of American politics has a great issue been fought out, as this issue has been, by the voters themselves.
Who gave the Cross of Gold speech?
Bryan’s “Cross of Gold” Speech: Mesmerizing the Masses. The most famous speech in American political history was delivered by William Jennings Bryan on July 9, 1896, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The issue was whether to endorse the free coinage of silver at a ratio of silver to gold of 16 to 1.
Why do we go forth confident that we shall win?
We go forth confident that we shall win. Why? Because upon the paramount issue in this campaign there is not a spot of ground upon which the enemy will dare to challenge battle. Why, if they tell us that the gold standard is a good thing, we point to their platform and tell them that their platform pledges the party to get rid of a gold standard and substitute bimetallism. If the gold standard is a good thing, why try to get rid of it? If the gold standard, and I might call your attention to the fact that some of the very people who are in this convention today and who tell you that we ought to declare in favor of international bimetallism and thereby declare that the gold standard is wrong and that the principles of bimetallism are better—these very people four months ago were open and avowed advocates of the gold standard and telling us that we could not legislate two metals together even with all the world.
Who said "We shall decide upon which side shall the Democratic Party fight"?
Mr. Carlisle said in 1878 that this was a struggle between the idle holders of idle capital and the struggling masses who produce the wealth and pay the taxes of the country; and my friends, it is simply a question that we shall decide upon which side shall the Democratic Party fight.
What was the central issue of the 1895 Democratic Party?
On the 4th of March, 1895, a few Democrats, most of them members of Congress, issued an address to the Democrats of the nation asserting that the money question was the paramount issue of the hour; asserting also the right of a majority of the Democratic Party to control the position of the party on this paramount issue; concluding with the request that all believers in free coinage of silver in the Democratic Party should organize and take charge of and control the policy of the Democratic Party. Three months later, at Memphis, an organization was perfected, and the silver Democrats went forth openly and boldly and courageously proclaiming their belief and declaring that if successful they would crystallize in a platform the declaration which they had made; and then began the conflict with a zeal approaching the zeal which inspired the crusaders who followed Peter the Hermit. Our silver Democrats went forth from victory unto victory, until they are assembled now, not to discuss, not to debate, but to enter up the judgment rendered by the plain people of this country.
What was the Cross of Gold speech?
T he "Cross of Gold" speech by William Jennings Bryan was an address to the 1896 Democratic National Convention arguing for a return to bimetallism.
What was the word count for the Cross of Gold speech?
Word Count: 962. William Jennings Bryan delivered his “Cross of Gold” speech at the Democratic National Convention in July of 1896 as part of his bid for the party’s presidential nomination. Bryan begins the speech by esteeming his political colleagues, noting that regardless of their view, they are eloquent speakers and great thinkers.
How long is the Cross of Gold study guide?
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Which party supports the gold standard?
Republicans support the relatively new gold standard, whereas Democrats increasingly support a return to a system of both silver and gold. Bryan criticizes Republican nominee William McKinley for waiting to see if other countries will move to bimetallism, proposing that the United States take the initiative.
Is the gold standard appropriate for the nation?
Some believe in returning to a policy of bimetallism, while others believe that the gold standard is more appropriate for the nation.
Who gave the Cross of Gold speech?
William Jennings Bryan delivered his "Cross of Gold" speech for the first time in 1896. It was one of those rare orations that ended with a speaker literally borne away on the shoulders of electrified listeners. The speech had such enduring popularity that Bryan delivered it to attentive audiences many times in the years after.
Where is the thesis at the end of a speech?
In a relatively short piece this is often the end of the first paragraph. Another is at the end of the piece. Even if there's a thesis somewhere at the beginning, it's apt to be repeated somewhere at the end. (Speech writers, particularly, like to pack those punches at the end.)
What to say to the people who want a gold standard?
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.
What is the repetition of a group of words in the middle of a sentence?
Repetition of a group of words in the middle of a sentence is mesodiplosis. It's less important to know the term, though, than to recognize that some point is so important that the speaker needs to make it five times -- and with a special artistry to drive it home.
How to get at the author's purpose?
There are two ways to get at author's purpose: to examine what's on the page and to examine what's off. If you have the opportunity, you may want to learn about the historical period and the social milieu before you tackle the text. (Gold standard? Bimetallism?)
Can we read speech looking for something particular in the onslaught of words?
We can read the speech looking for something particular in the onslaught of words: subpoints that support this main idea.
Was Bryan a witness in the Scopes trial?
Bryan is remembered not just for his famous speech, but his role as witness in the Scopes trial (not long before his death). The speaker here argues that Bryan was more afraid of social Darwinism than true Darwinism and that he was, throughout his life, a deeper man than we might imagine if our image of him comes from Inherit the Wind.
Overview
The Cross of Gold speech was delivered by William Jennings Bryan, a former United States Representative from Nebraska, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on July 9, 1896. In the address, Bryan supported bimetallism or "free silver", which he believed would bring the nation prosperity. He decried the gold standard, concluding the speech, "you shall not crucify ma…
Background
In January 1791, at the request of Congress, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton issued a report on the currency. At the time, there was no mint in the United States; foreign coins were used. Hamilton proposed a monetary system based on bimetallism, in which the new currency would be equal to a given amount of gold, or a larger amount of silver; at the time a given weight of gold …
1896 convention
The 1896 Democratic convention opened at the Chicago Coliseum on July 7, 1896. Much activity took place in advance of the formal opening as the silver and (vastly outnumbered) gold forces prepared their strategies. Silver forces were supported by the Democratic National Bimetallic Committee, the umbrella group formed in 1895 to support silver Democrats in their insurgency against …
Reception and nomination
Bryan later described the silence as "really painful" and momentarily thought he had failed. As he moved towards his seat, the Coliseum burst into pandemonium. Delegates threw hats, coats, and handkerchiefs into the air. Others took up the standards with the state names on them with each delegation, and planted them by Nebraska's. Two alert police officers had joined Bryan as he left the podium, anticipating the crush. The policemen were swept away by the flood of delegates, w…
Campaign and aftermath
The Pullman Company offered Bryan a private car for his trip home; he declined, not wishing to accept corporate favors. As he traveled by rail to Lincoln, he saw farmers and others standing by the tracks, hoping for a glimpse of the new Democratic nominee. He received many letters from supporters, expressing their faith in him in stark terms. One Indiana voter wrote, "God has sent you am…
Legacy
Bryan's speech is considered one of the most powerful political addresses in American history. Stanley Jones, however, suggested that even if Bryan had never delivered it, he would still have been nominated. Jones deemed the Democrats likely to nominate a candidate who would appeal to the Populist Party, and Bryan had been elected to Congress with Populist support. Accordi…
External links
• Full text and audio version of "Cross of Gold" at History Matters.