Question

How did Tom Watson undermine the Populist Party in the years following the 1896 election?

A) By leading the Populist Party to success
B) By advocating for Populist policies
C) By encouraging unity within the Populist Party
D) By aligning with the Democratic Party, splitting the Populist vote

Answer 1

Option (D), Tom Watson undermined the Populist Party by aligning with the Democratic Party, causing a split in the vote and diminishing the party's identity.

Step-by-step explanation:

Tom Watson undermined the Populist Party in the years following the 1896 election by aligning with the Democratic Party, which led to a split in the Populist vote. As the Populist convention chose to endorse the Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan but nominated their own vice-presidential candidate, Tom Watson, the party struggled to retain its separate identity.

This alignment with a major party diminished the distinct political position of the Populists and led to their decline as an independent force in American politics.