History of the Coxey’s Army

COXEY’S ARMY:  This bold movement occurred from March 25th, 1894 to May 1, 1894.

  • The year 1894 commonly remembered as the year of depression in the United States because, in that year, the group of unemployed citizens decided to march for employment opportunities.
  • They targeted to reach the capital that is Washington, D. C., and the exceptional thing was they actually reach their aimed destination out of the several other groups formed during those times.
  • This event was courageously led by Jacob S. Coxey, a well-known businessman.
  • At the beginning of this movement, there were 100 men who first left the Massillon, Ohio on March 25, 1894.
  • Of course, a brave movement like this was not ignored from the eyes of curious reporters who accompanied them in their march.
  • The once started movement successfully came to an end on 1st may where the count of members in the group became 500.
  • Their aim was to convince the government that is the Congress to bring out new and beneficial programmes like the road building which could be financed by the large amount of real money that was in circulation.
  • This kind proposal was actually written in the form of a congressional bill.
  • Even though it received a lot of publicity through the vast media that did not fail to report a single moment, the movement could not fulfill its actual targets.
  • The public policies still remain unaffected in spite of the proposal that was offered to the government for help.
  • However, the people did not live in peace and this event became an example of the occurrence of various other movements that were followed by it.
  • This event actually came to an embarrassing end when Coxey who founded the movement and a few supporters were arrested for trespassing because they became furious and tried to speak from the Capitol steps.
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