Only Yesterday by Frederick Lewis Allen was a very enlightening piece of literature. I was able to read all about the roaring 1920's as if I was living through it myself. .
The book starts off in May 1919; Woodrow Wilson is president and the Armistice was just signed. The people were so happy that peace was finally here. The 18th Amendment was also passed which prohibited alcohol. Woodrow Wilson wanted to bring the country back to normalcy. The people looked at Wilson as a messiah. Wilson's plan was to make peace with Germany and then start a League of Nations. Wilson traveled through France, England, and Italy gaining much support. Wilson's main goal was to organize the Treaty of Versailles, but it didn't turn out as well as he expected. The *American people didn't agree with him signing this treaty and this is when Wilson lost all his support. The people felt that the Treaty was not adequate for what needed to be done. But Woodrow Wilson was working very hard and under a lot of stress. On September 25th, after a long speech at Pueblo, Wilson had a stroke. He was partly paralyzed on his left side. After the stroke Wilson was not able to do much on his own, sometimes he couldn't even sign his signature. Wilson worked hard in his presidency, but to some people it wasn't good enough.
The election of 1920 came around and Wilson lost. President Harding was nominated. Harding was a very friendly man, no enemies unlike Wilson. Harding wanted everyone to be happy and was willing to help anyone. He was also very handsome. Harding wanted to restore America. Harding stated in Boston: Americas present need is not heroics but healing; not nostrums but normalcy; not revolution but restoration; not surgery but serenity (p.36). Harding grew much support in his presidency. Many people looked up to him and believed in his thoughts. Harding was in office for three years.
