This essay surveys major turning points in American history from the Progressive Era through the Vietnam War era. It examines the Christian-mission roots of progressive reformers like Jane Addams, Theodore Roosevelt's regulatory agenda, and the causes of U.S. entry into World War I. The paper then analyzes the economic conditions that produced the Great Depression, the New Deal's major programs and their critics, the transformation of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, and the social divisions created by the Vietnam War. Drawing on primary and secondary sources, the essay traces how government's role, social activism, and national identity evolved across these pivotal decades.
A sense of Christian mission motivated people like Jane Addams to help immigrants in the United States. The progressive movement attracted individuals who were driven by a desire to do good for their neighbors and for those less fortunate than themselves. Addams and Hull House were a prime example of this philosophy: "She wished to do things with, not just for, Chicago's poor" (Roark). Overall, the movement consisted of urban reformers and was characterized by an alignment among the middle class, activists, and social workers.
To advance the progressive agenda, Theodore Roosevelt promoted regulating business in order to prevent companies from taking advantage of the poor, immigrants, and children who worked in factories for long hours. Consumer protections were another avenue through which he pursued this goal, especially after The Jungle was published, which triggered a strong social response among readers (Filler).
A large portion of the American public, along with many leaders and politicians, believed in staying out of European conflicts. This sentiment was rooted in the United States' historical tendency to avoid "entangling alliances" and foreign wars. Progressives, including those in the Women's Movement, were anti-war. However, in order to secure the right to vote, the Women's Movement ultimately pledged to support the war effort (Marsden).
Reasons for involvement in the war emerged from several directions. Germany's policy of sinking any ship around the British Isles — including civilian and neutral vessels — angered many Americans. The sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, which killed several dozen Americans, was also enormously influential in shifting American public opinion on the matter. President Wilson framed the war as a struggle for democracy and sought a role on the global stage to advance his proposed League of Nations — an objective he could not achieve if the United States remained out of the war. He declared that the world "must be made safe for democracy" and believed that a world composed of more democratic nations would be a more peaceful one (Roark).
Stock prices soared in the 1920s and many people purchased shares with borrowed money. When the market crashed, widespread bank failures followed. The prosperity of the 1920s had also been deeply uneven: only a small percentage of the population held the bulk of the nation's wealth, a situation that kept consumer demand relatively weak. The Federal Reserve then raised interest rates, which made borrowing more expensive, reduced consumer spending further, and caused business expansion to contract sharply. When stock values collapsed, many individuals and businesses were left financially ruined.
The Depression was widely seen as having discredited the laissez-faire economic policies of the 1920s. Americans demanded government intervention in the economy. The Democratic Party, under Franklin Roosevelt, implemented a sweeping series of reforms known as the New Deal. As a result, the role and size of the federal government expanded dramatically, and it was at this juncture that the United States began implementing social welfare policies in earnest (Roark).
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