he 1920s were a period of economic growth and transition. Real wages for most workers increased, while stock prices advanced as much during the 1920s as they had in the previous three decades. The US census of 1920 revealed that, for the first time, a majority of Americans lived in cities and towns with at least 2,500 residents. The 1920s also boasted a uniquely modern culture that celebrated the fast pace of cosmopolitan life. Yet in many ways, the United States was still mired in the past. Progressive reformers sought to publicize the tragedy of preventable diseases and child mortality among the poor. However, it was not until after the discovery that millions of draftees in World War I were malnourished and medically unfit for military service that these reformers had the
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The contest regarding federal support for health care programs for women and infants personifies the transition from Progressivism to more conservative ways of thought regarding the role of government. This transition from Progressivism to conservatism was one of the leading dynamics of the
1920s. Although the middle and late 1920s saw a resurgence of conservative thought, Progressive ideas about reform would continue into the early 1920s. Grassroots campaigns by the newly formed League of Women Voters, along with a variety of other women’s clubs and Progressive organizations, seized the message of military preparedness. They sought to convince voters that prenatal care and other health programs were vital to the nation’s well-being. Even conservative groups such as the Daughters of the
American Revolution joined the chorus of voices calling for federal intervention to improve prenatal and early childhood care. In response, Congress approved the Sheppard-Towner Act in 1921. The Sheppard-
Towner Act was based on a bill introduced by Montana congresswoman Jeanette Rankin in 1919.
The contest regarding federal support for health care programs for women and infants personifies the transition from Progressivism to more conservative ways of thought regarding the role of government. This transition from Progressivism to conservatism was one of the leading dynamics of the
1920s. Although the middle and late 1920s saw a resurgence of conservative thought, Progressive ideas about reform would continue into the early 1920s. Grassroots campaigns by the newly formed League of Women Voters, along with a variety of other women’s clubs and Progressive organizations, seized the message of military preparedness. They sought to convince voters that prenatal care and other health programs were vital to the nation’s well-being. Even conservative groups such as the Daughters of the
American Revolution joined the chorus of voices calling for federal intervention to improve prenatal and early childhood care. In response, Congress approved the Sheppard-Towner Act in 1921. The Sheppard-
Towner Act was based on a bill introduced by Montana congresswoman Jeanette Rankin in 1919.