Object Details
Description
When William McKinley was first elected president in 1896, the country was in the midst of an economic crisis that had been going on for three years. The recession finally ended in 1897 which positioned President McKinley to campaign for re-election in 1900 on a platform of the “Full Dinner Pail” (or bucket). Because metal dinner pails (the lunch box of their day) were carried by miners, factory workers, and other laborers, this slogan, intended to remind voters of prosperity and a sound economy, particularly targeted the labor vote.
The Republican ticket of McKinley and vice presidential candidate Theodore Roosevelt easily defeated William Jennings Bryan and Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic nominees. It was the second straight victory for McKinley over Bryan.
When William McKinley was first elected president in 1896, the country was in the midst of an economic crisis that had been going on for three years. The recession finally ended in 1897 which positioned President McKinley to campaign for re-election in 1900 on a platform of the “Full Dinner Pail” (or bucket). Because metal dinner pails (the lunch box of their day) were carried by miners, factory workers, and other laborers, this slogan, intended to remind voters of prosperity and a sound economy, particularly targeted the labor vote.
The Republican ticket of McKinley and vice-presidential candidate Theodore Roosevelt easily defeated William Jennings Bryan and Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic nominees. It was the second straight victory for McKinley over Bryan.
ID Number
1996.0152.051
catalog number
1996.0152.051
accession number
1996.0152
Object Name
Button
Physical Description
metal (overall material)
blue (overall color)
white (overall color)
brown (overall color)
black (overall color)
round (overall shape)
blue (overall color)
white (overall color)
round (overall shape)
blue (overall color)
white (overall color)
round (overall shape)
Measurements
average spatial: 1 1/4 in; x 3.175 cm
See more items in
Political History: Political History, Campaign Collection
American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith
Exhibition
American Democracy
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_1179889