1. Through such devices as the initiative, the referendum, and the recall, progressive reformers hoped to increase citizen participation in the democratic process and make government more responsive to the needs and interests of ordinary people. These reforms were designed to give citizens more direct control over the legislative process and to reduce the influence of special interests and political machines. By empowering citizens to initiate legislation, vote on specific issues, and remove elected officials from office, progressives hoped to create a more democratic and responsive government that would better serve the needs of all Americans.
2. President Theodore Roosevelt responded to Colombia's hard beginning over the proposal to cut a canal through its province of Panama by supporting a revolution in Panama that would lead to the establishment of an independent Panama. Roosevelt believed that an independent Panama would be more willing to negotiate a treaty with the United States that would allow for the construction of a canal. In support of this goal, Roosevelt sent American warships to the region to protect American interests and to ensure the success of the revolution. Ultimately, Roosevelt's intervention in Panama helped to pave the way for the construction of the Panama Canal, which was a major achievement of his presidency.