Progressives sought to return power to the people- that is, the voters. Many were disillusioned with the political system in place, wherein political machines and corrupt government officials often held power. Legislation like the 17th Amendment allowed a greater public control of government, and Theodore Roosevelt's 1912 Presidential campaign was arguably the closest a third party has ever come to the White House.
In a lasting sense, Progressives failed to reach their goals just as often as they succeeded. They won many victories, such as the ratification of the 17th Amendment and the establishment of regulatory agencies like the Food and Drug Administration. However, many of their "greatest" achievements were only temporary: the much celebrated Prohibition Amendment was seen as a Progressive triumph but has since become the only Constitutional Amendment to be repealed.
The Federal government's homefront efforts during the First World War fell largely into one of three areas: the "necessary" restriction of civil liberties, concentrated propaganda, and the complete overhaul of America's economy into a "mighty war machine." The Espionage and Sedition Acts made speaking out against the war effort illegal, supposedly allowing the government to secure victory without opposition from home. Hugely effective pro-war advertising campaigns by artists like J.M. Flagg stirred public support for the war. Finally, the country's many factories were optimized for war, as many looked to factory work as a way of avoiding frontline combat duty.
Many Americans saw the Treaty of Versailles as nothing more than a guarantee of American involvement in future European wars. The isolationist movement in the country proved stronger than the desire for the "lasting peace" that Wilson so cherished.
Americans in 1920 looked to put the violence of European conflict behind them, rejecting Wilson's League of Nations and deciding instead to elect Warren G. Harding. His victory, they hoped, would usher in a new era of "normalcy" wherein Americans could once again focus on America.
In a lasting sense, Progressives failed to reach their goals just as often as they succeeded. They won many victories, such as the ratification of the 17th Amendment and the establishment of regulatory agencies like the Food and Drug Administration. However, many of their "greatest" achievements were only temporary: the much celebrated Prohibition Amendment was seen as a Progressive triumph but has since become the only Constitutional Amendment to be repealed.
The Federal government's homefront efforts during the First World War fell largely into one of three areas: the "necessary" restriction of civil liberties, concentrated propaganda, and the complete overhaul of America's economy into a "mighty war machine." The Espionage and Sedition Acts made speaking out against the war effort illegal, supposedly allowing the government to secure victory without opposition from home. Hugely effective pro-war advertising campaigns by artists like J.M. Flagg stirred public support for the war. Finally, the country's many factories were optimized for war, as many looked to factory work as a way of avoiding frontline combat duty.
Many Americans saw the Treaty of Versailles as nothing more than a guarantee of American involvement in future European wars. The isolationist movement in the country proved stronger than the desire for the "lasting peace" that Wilson so cherished.
Americans in 1920 looked to put the violence of European conflict behind them, rejecting Wilson's League of Nations and deciding instead to elect Warren G. Harding. His victory, they hoped, would usher in a new era of "normalcy" wherein Americans could once again focus on America.
