History 371

Devine

Spring 2014

 

Study Questions: Turner, “Understanding the Populists”

 

  1. Does Turner argue that economic conditions dictated whether a farmer voted Populist?  If not, what does he argue?

 

  1. What kind of evidence does Turner use to make his case?  Does his use of this evidence make his argument persuasive to you?

 

  1. Provide a sketch of your typical Texas Populist.  Why did the circumstances and context of his daily make the Populism an attractive movement to him?

 

  1. According to Turner, why did Populism seem to collapse as quickly as it had arisen?

 

  1. How would James Turner modify Frederick Jackson Turner’s thesis regarding the significance of the American frontier?