Lesson 2 - How Does
Government Secure Natural Rights?
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SD Application
- What avenues do the citizens of SD have to limit their
State government?
Activity
Have students read the passage on
“Populism in Power” (below) As a class, define the terms “initiative”
and “referendum”. Have students research initiative and referendum
issues on past or current SD ballots. Ie: Video Lottery, Inheritance
Tax, Food Tax
Have students read the following passage from: South Dakota: A
Journey Through Time, pgs. 72-74:
In 1896 the Populists elected a governor. He was a Vermilion
businessman named Andrew Lee. Governor Lee was very popular in his
home town. He was one of the richest men in the state. But he also
wanted to help farmers and other people who had money problems. With
the Populists in change of the legislature, he got some important
laws passed. The biggest thing the Populists did was to start the
initiative and the referendum. People could initiate legislation by
signing petitions. They also could vote on laws referred to them by
the legislature. South Dakota was the first state to use the
initiative and the referendum. In later years most of the other
states followed its lead.
The most interesting thing that happened while the Populists
were in power was the “counting of the money.” The last state
treasurer was a man named William Taylor. He had stolen $367,000
from the state and run to away to South America. He was caught and
brought back for trial and had to go to jail. Governor Lee wanted to
make sure that all the state money was there. So he has all of the
state’s money brought to Pierre to be counted.
By 1900 Populism was pretty much over. The drought had ended
and farm prices were going up. Farmers did not feel the need for
change so much. Then a new political reform movement began. It was
called Progressivism. South Dakota played a big role in it, much as
it had had in Populism.
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