In late nineteenth century United States history, which of the following best describes a major action taken by the Farmers Alliances to improve conditions for farmers?

Introduction / Context:
The Farmers Alliances were important rural reform movements in the United States during the late nineteenth century. They emerged after the Civil War at a time when many small farmers faced low crop prices, high railroad freight rates, and debt to merchants and banks. This question checks whether you understand that the Farmers Alliances responded to these problems by organizing farmers for collective economic and political action rather than by telling them to give up farming.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The setting is the United States in the late nineteenth century.
• The group in question is the Farmers Alliances, not later groups like labor unions or modern political parties.
• Farmers are suffering from economic problems such as low prices and high transportation costs.
• You must choose the option that best describes a major action taken by these alliances.

Concept / Approach:
The key concept is that the Farmers Alliances tried to help farmers by organizing them. They promoted cooperatives so that farmers could buy supplies and store crops together and get better prices. They also encouraged farmers to participate in politics to push for reforms such as railroad regulation, fairer credit, and later the ideas of the Populist Party. They did not tell farmers to abandon agriculture, and they did not work to benefit urban consumers at the expense of rural producers. Understanding that the alliances were reform movements for farmers helps you identify the correct option.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Farmers Alliances formed because individual farmers felt isolated and powerless against railroads, grain buyers, and banks.Step 2: Remember that the alliances proposed cooperative grain elevators, cooperative stores, and collective bargaining for better prices.Step 3: They also supported political reforms such as regulation of railroads and changes in the money system, which later influenced the Populist movement.Step 4: Compare each option with this historical role. Option a clearly mentions cooperatives and political movements for economic reforms.Step 5: Options b, c, and d conflict with the goal of helping farmers stay on the land and improve their position, so they are not accurate descriptions of the alliances.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify the answer by remembering that many United States history textbooks describe the Farmers Alliances as a bridge between the earlier Granger movement and the later Populist Party. All of these movements are described as efforts by farmers to gain collective economic strength and political voice. There is no serious historical account that says the alliances advised farmers to leave agriculture or to depend mainly on big banks. This confirms that organizing farmers for cooperatives and reform is the best description of their actions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b is wrong because the Farmers Alliances tried to protect family farming, not encourage farmers to abandon it.
Option c is incorrect because the alliances wanted fair prices for farmers, not lower prices that would hurt rural incomes.
Option d is wrong because a major complaint of farmers was dependence on creditors and banks, so the alliances did not promote exclusive reliance on large private banks.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners confuse the Farmers Alliances with urban labor unions or modern economic policies and think they might have focused on factory work or city life. Others see the word alliance and imagine a purely political party. In reality, the Farmers Alliances were both economic and political movements rooted in rural communities. They used cooperatives and collective political pressure as tools to improve farm life. Keeping that dual economic and political character in mind helps you select option a with confidence.

Final Answer:
The major action of the Farmers Alliances was organizing farmers into cooperatives and political movements for economic reforms.