Calvin Coolidge vs Robert Borden

Coolidge became the 30th president upon Harding's sudden death. He was vacationing at his family home in Vermont when he received the news and was sworn in by his father, a notary public, in a historic ceremony.

Coolidge won the 1924 presidential election in his own right, defeating Democrat John W. Davis and Progressive Robert M. La Follette. His victory reflected public approval of his conservative policies and the economic prosperity of the Roaring Twenties.

Coolidge signed the Immigration Act of 1924, which established national origins quotas that severely restricted immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe and virtually banned immigration from Asia. The act remained the basis of U.S. immigration policy until 1965.

Borden became the eighth Prime Minister of Canada, leading a Conservative government. His victory was largely due to opposition to Laurier's reciprocity agreement with the United States.

Borden led Canada's war effort during World War I. He committed over 600,000 troops to the conflict, expanded the military, and managed the domestic war economy. The war deeply divided Canada along linguistic lines.

Borden's government passed the Military Service Act, introducing conscription for overseas service. The policy was deeply unpopular in Quebec and led to the Conscription Crisis of 1917, which exacerbated French-English tensions.

Borden insisted that Canada sign the Treaty of Versailles as an independent nation, separate from Britain. This marked a significant step in Canada's evolution from a colony to a sovereign state, gaining a separate seat in the League of Nations.