Lane Goar
Progressive Essay

Chapter twenty-four - Wilson Progressivism at Home and Abroad, 1912- - 1916, in “The American Spirit”, by Kennedy and Bailey, deals with the presidential election of Woodrow Wilson and the changing perspective of government involvement in the US economy and society. Wilson dealt with diplomatic crises around the world and with our neighbor – Mexico. In chapter thirty - The War to End War, 1917 – 1918, in the Kennedy/Bailey book, the US tried to stay neutral as war broke out in Europe. But, our actions spoke louder than our word. We were pro Allies and anti-central powers, which was Germany and Austria-Hungry. We walked a careful path because we did not know which side our immigrant population would land. In …show more content…

Overall, amongst Wilson’s and Roosevelt’s progressive philosophies are many ideas that are also represented in Conservatism. Some of Wilson’s and Roosevelt’s proposals foreshadowed later Unites States political development. When Wilson says, I agree that as a nation we are now about to undertake what may be regarded as the most difficult part our governmental enterprises”, it foreshadows the trial that the United States government was about to go through (Kennedy/Bailey, pg. 226). Wilson foreshadows to the unavoidable government assistance that was to be implied when he says, “We have gone along so far without very much assistance from our government” (Kennedy/Bailey, pg. 226). This may be out of context but I think it foreshadows the biggest events that were to come in the Unites States; which, is the border issues between the Mexican and American governments in todays society. When Wilson says, “Our feeling for the people of Mexico is one of deep and genuine friendship, and everything that we have so far done or refrained from doing has proceeded from our desire to help them, not to hinder or embarrass them”, it is inevitable for me to connect it to anything but the border issues the United States and Texas government are dealing with currently (Kennedy/Bailey, pg. 233). Overall most of the proposals in some way foreshadow later United Sates political developments.