Coxey

Coxey's Army, also known as the Farmers' Alliance Army, was a group of farmers and laborers who marched from Indiana to Washington, D.C. in 1894, demanding economic relief and political reform. The march was led by James Coxey, a former U.S. Congressman, and was inspired by the Populist Party's platform of "Agrarianism" and "Silverism." The marchers, numbering around 1,500, were primarily from the Midwest and Appalachia, and they were seeking relief from the economic hardships caused by the Panic of 1893 and the depression that followed. The marchers were met with hostility by the public and the government, and they were eventually dispersed by federal troops. The march is often seen as a precursor to the New Deal and the Great Depression, and it highlighted the struggles of the American working class during the late 19th century. Coxey's Army is also notable for its use of the march as a political tool, as the marchers sought to bring their demands directly to the government.