William Jennings Bryan Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is William Jennings Bryan?

William Jennings Bryan was an American statesman, orator and politician who served as the United States Secretary of State from 1913 to 1915. He is best remembered for his role as a leader of the progressive movement and his three-times unsuccessful campaign for president of the United States.Bryan was born in Salem, Illinois on March 19th, 1860. He attended Whipple Academy and later Illinois College before graduating from Union Law School in Chicago with a law degree in 1883. After graduation he moved to Jacksonville, Florida to open a law practice but soon entered politics when he was elected state attorney for Duval County in 1888. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress that same year but won election to the House of Representatives two years later where he served until 1895. During this time Bryan became an outspoken advocate for free silver which helped him become one of the most popular politicians in America at that time. In 1896 he gave his famous Cross of Gold speech which propelled him into national prominence and secured him the Democratic nomination for president that year. Despite losing both times running against William McKinley, Bryan remained an influential figure within the Democratic party and returned to Washington D.C when President Woodrow Wilson appointed him Secretary Of State in 1913. During his tenure at State Department Bryan sought to end US involvement in World War I by negotiating peace treaties between warring nations rather than having America join forces with them or against them. His efforts were ultimately unsuccessful though they earned him respect around the world as a leading proponent of peace through diplomacy rather than violence or war mongering. In 1925 after leaving office Bryan retired from politics and spent much of his remaining years lecturing on religion, prohibition , evolution and other topics throughout rural parts of America while continuing to write books such as The Bible Or Evolution published in 1928. He died on July 26th , 1925 at age 65 due to complications arising from diabetes but left behind a long lasting legacy as one of America’s most beloved political figures whose ideas remain relevant today.