This is an I-Heart podcast.

Guaranteed Human.

This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories.

Up next, another installment of our story of us, the story of America series,

with Hillsdale College Professor and author of the terrific book, Land of Hope, Dr. Bill McLeigh.

Although populist William Jennings, Brian, would lose the election to William McKinley,

he'd start a revolution that would come to be known as the progressive movement.

Let's get into the story. Take it away, Bill.

It turns out that Brian won more votes 6.5 million than any candidate in American history,

except for McKinley's performance that year.

The fact was, there was little reason to believe this reform party was some kind of blip,

but to gain enough traction to win the presidency,

the reform torch would have to be taken up by the progressive movement,

which included a more middle class and professional dimension.

The progressive movement was filled with educated Americans, civic-minded Americans to boot,

who were religious and quite earnest, morally speaking.

They didn't just wish to address poverty in the poor,

but to change the governance and systems

that brought about that poverty.

And by doing so, they would restore democracy itself.

They supported real changes in hope of restoring

what they believed were the classic American values.

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