1. Progress Isn’t What It Used to Be. The people calling for widespread reform in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were often called “Progressives” and the 1890-1917 period is often called the “Progressive Era.” How did Progressives define “progress” during the Progressive Era? In other words, what were their apparent goals or ideals about what society should be like? (Note: do not assume that Progressives in 1900 believed the same as people who identify as “progressives” in 2019. Not all concepts of “Progress” are the same across time and space.) How did their ideas about progress shape their approach to reform?

Or

2. Putting the “World” in World War I. The U.S. was thousands of miles away from the main battlefields of World War I, and yet the war had some profound effects on the country even for those who did not serve in the military. In what ways were Americans back home drawn into the global conflict, and what were the effects of the war on the home front? Explain how the war was not simply a faraway event for people in the United States. “Home front” doe not only mean civilians — it may also include people in uniform or formerly in uniform, e.g., World War I veterans. [Note: some of the effects may be indirect or subtle.]

[Note: The American Yawp chapter for this week will probably be more useful for these questions than the Arnesen reading.]

Week 2 Reading Assignments

Arnesen, Black Protest and the Great Migration: Foreword, Preface, Part I (all), Appendix “Chronology of Events”

American Yawp and American Yawp Reader, Ch. 20 (“The Progressive Era”) and Ch. 21 (‘World War I and Aftermath”)

I. Original Message (15 pts) Post a brief (approx. 250 word) message to the week’s Discussion Forum addressing ONE of the following questions. Be sure to use information and examples from the class materials:

II. Response on other question (15 pts) In addition, post a short (4-6 sentence) response to someone else’s message about the OTHER question, the one you did not answer.

Answer

The war had a wide-ranging impact on America. One was that the entire country was restless; for instance, “As war fever erupted, anyone who dared to question America’s claim that it was making the world “safe for democracy” was considered disloyal. Wilson signed the Espionage Act in 1917 and the Sedition Act in 1918, taking away the rights of dissenters and protesters to publicly oppose the war. Protesters and critics were imprisoned. Immigrants, labor unions, and political radicals became the focus of federal investigations and an increasingly hostile public culture.” There were many different opinions about the First World War…Click below to purchase the full answer at $5