The sixth volume of Presidential Chronicles tells the life stories of the following four American Presidents who shepherded their country through a dynamic period of change and growth:
William Taft
Woodrow Wilson
Warren Harding
Calvin Coolidge
As Theodore Roosevelt passed the torch to his successors, the dynamic spirit of progressivism continued to reign supreme, bringing increased reforms that sought to utilize the authority of the Federal government to directly enhance the lives of the American people. These changes corresponded to a rise in international prominence that eventually witnessed the impact of American might in helping to conclude the devastation of World War I. In the wake of that victory, many Americans turned inward, rejecting participation in Woodrow Wilson’s vision of a League of Nations that they viewed as an infringement on American sovereignty. Instead, they embraced Warren Harding’s pitch for a “Return to Normalcy,” that was dominated by an “America First” agenda. Harding and his successor Calvin Coolidge cut taxes, reduced spending, paid down the debt, curtailed immigration, and pursued policies that led to the greatest decade of prosperity in American history. As told in Progressivism and Prosperity, the Twenties did indeed “Roar” for the American people, before giving way to an unprecedented economic crash as these Presidents passed the torch to the next batch of American leaders.