Question

How did WWI affect the worldview of Americans and increase the popularity of athletes? Why was Charles Lindbergh a hero for many Americans during the 1920s? How did the new mass media contribute to the popularity of heroes?

Answer 1

World War I affected the worldview of many Americans in a negative manner, showing that America helped out tremendously in the last year of the war. But as a result of the creation of the League of Nations and Wilson's push towards United States involvement in world affairs, many felt that we as a country wanted to focus more on domestic issues and thus the United States was never involved in the League as the Senate failed to ratify the treaty. Athletes became popular during this time period as the media and people glorified them to an extent with the example of Babe Ruth especially, along with people like Charles Lindbergh becoming a American legend after flying solo nonstop from New York to Paris with his own aircraft "Spirit of St Louis". The media put them on a pedestal as a result.