Pin, William McKinley, 1896

Description:

In 1896, William McKinley became the Republican presidential nominee in the midst of an economic crisis that had been going on for three years. In response, one of his campaign slogans was a “full dinner pail.” Because miners, factory workers, and other workers carried metal dinner pails (the lunch box of their day), this slogan, promising voters prosperity and a sound economy, particularly targeted the labor vote. McKinley defeated William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic nominee. The recession finally ended in 1897 and, in his re-election campaign of 1900, McKinley revised his slogan to “Four More Years of a Full Dinner Pail. He won easily, again against Bryan.

Used: Political Campaigns

Subject:

See more items in: Government, Politics, and Reform, American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 2015.0200.153Accession Number: 2015.0200Catalog Number: 2015.020.153

Object Name: button

Measurements: overall: 1/2 in; 1.27 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-1850-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_1829977

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