They were awarded based on the spoils system
The spoils system was the idea that the victor takes the spoils of war, that is, the person who won the presidency can fire all employees that don't support him and put his own people into positions of power in federal agencies and organizations. After that, the merit system was introduced that ended this corrupt practice.
The money-based farming serious problem of 1920's was caused by high supply with low demand (low prices), high (related to computers and science) prices, passage of Fordey-McCumber Act caused foreign markets to stop buying American farming-based products
that the war would cost American lives
The basis for the rights of the United States citizens is the:
United States Constitution
The Constitution has a section in it called the Bill of Rights which lays out each of the individual rights of the American citizen in addition to each one of the Amendments which are reforms to the original Bill of Rights that more specifically and more clearly lay out the rights of the American citizen.