1896 Democratic National Convention

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The 1896 Democratic National Convention was a pivotal U.S. political gathering in Chicago where the Democratic Party nominated William Jennings Bryan for president and dramatically embraced a pro–silver, anti–gold standard platform.

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Democratic Party national convention
United States political convention
adoptedPlatformOn bimetallism
free silver
opposition to the gold standard
associatedMovement Populism in the United States
associatedWith Free Silver movement NERFINISHED
agrarian interests in the American West and South
attendedBy delegates from all U.S. states and territories
country United States of America
surface form: United States
dateOfFamousSpeech 1896-07-09
endDate 1896-07-11
era Fourth Party System NERFINISHED
famousFor "Cross of Gold" speech NERFINISHED
followedBy 1900 Democratic National Convention NERFINISHED
historicalSignificance cemented free silver as central to Democratic Party platform in 1896
marked the ascendancy of William Jennings Bryan as a national political figure
ideologicalShift from conservative, pro-gold leadership to pro-silver, populist leadership
keyIssue federal income tax
monetary policy
tariff policy
language English
location Chicago NERFINISHED
Illinois
mainOppositionPartyConvention 1896 Republican National Convention NERFINISHED
mediaCoverageBy major U.S. newspapers of the 1890s
nominatedForOffice President of the United States NERFINISHED
Vice President of the United States NERFINISHED
nominatedTicket Bryan–Sewall NERFINISHED
numberOfBallotsForNomination 1
opposedPolicy gold standard
organizedBy Democratic Party (United States) NERFINISHED
partOf 1896 United States presidential election NERFINISHED
platformAdopted 1896 Democratic Party platform NERFINISHED
platformPlank criticism of Supreme Court income tax decision
denunciation of injunctions in labor disputes
opposition to national banks issuing currency
support for Cuban independence
support for arbitration in labor disputes
precededBy 1892 Democratic National Convention NERFINISHED
presidentialNominee William Jennings Bryan NERFINISHED
rejectedIncumbentWingOf President Grover Cleveland NERFINISHED
resultedIn shift of Democratic Party toward agrarian and populist interests
significantSpeechBy William Jennings Bryan NERFINISHED
startDate 1896-07-07
supportedPolicy free coinage of silver at 16 to 1 ratio with gold
venue Chicago Coliseum NERFINISHED
vicePresidentialNominee Arthur Sewall NERFINISHED

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Cross of Gold speech deliveredAt 1896 Democratic National Convention
Cross of Gold speech event 1896 Democratic National Convention