THOMAS
WOODROW WILSON
By: Andrea Carrera-Marquez & Riley Doyle
Life Prior to
Presidency
Born December 28, 1856 and raised in an academic household.
Spent a year at Davidson College in North Carolina and 3 years at Princeton
University where he received his baccalaureate degree.
Entered in Johns Hopkins University in 1883 and three years later received his
doctorate.
Was president of Princeton from 1902-1910.
Governor of New Jersey from 1911-1913.
Chief of Party
Beginning of Presidency was backed by a strong Democratic House, which
included William Jennings Bryan as Secretary of State, William McAdoo as Head of
the Treasury and Sam Rayburn was sworn into Congress.
Signed the Bryan-Chamorro Treaty despite opposition from his fellow Democrats.
Grade- B, because Wilson failed to see that his fellow Democrats were against the
Bryan Chamorro Treaty and signed anyways may show that he can make his own
decisions but it also shows he may show no interest in what they have to say.
Guardian of the Economy
New Freedom platform was very Progressive, and called for tariff reduction and a
change in the monetary system.
Federal Reserve Act of 1913 created a system that provides the framework for the
nations money supply today.
Signed the Underwood-Simmons Act, cutting the tariff-graduated income tax is
established as a major source of federal revenue.
Grade-A, he made huge changes to the economy but they helped out America in
the long run.
Chief Diplomat
Wanted the rest of the world to adopt the American Constitutional Democracy.
Approved the Bryan-Chamorro Treaty giving the US the right to intervene in
Nicaraguan affairs despite strong opposition from Democrats.
At the Paris Peace Conference tried to get his 14 Points plan in on the treaty.
He failed at this but did end up getting a League of Nations as a part of the final
agreement.
Grade-B, he pushed for peace with the rest of the world after WW1 but because he
ultimately failed to get his 14 Points Plan passed and only got the League of
Nations he gets dropped a grade.
Commander-in-Chief
In the early days of WW1 Wilson was determined to remain neutral.
Then in 1917 after 4 American ships had been sunk Wilson asked Congress for a
Declaration of War.
Presented his 14 Points plan as a peace offering.
Grade-A, he kept the country out of the beginning of the war and the country
thanked him for that by reelecting him in 1917. And then went to war when
America was involved in it personally.
Chief Legislator
First President since John Adams to address Congress.
Successfully refined the relationship between the Executive and Legislative
branches.
Progressive
Tried to free national politics from the grips of entrenched party machines.
“Not high effective”
Grade: B, Wilson tried very hard to change and fix Congress but in the end he was
not highly effective.
Chief Executive
Entered the White House as a Reformer.
Like Theodore Roosevelt’s aggresive style of leadership .
Expanded Presidency
Tried to pass the Paris Peace Agreement
Supported the Treaty of Versailles but Senate refused the ratify it.
Grade: C, he tried to pass the Treaty of Versailles but the Senate refused to ratify it.
Head of State
Advocate for Democracy and World Peace.
Won a Nobel Prize
Often ranked by historians as one of the nations greatest presidents.
Grade: A, people really like him even though he was a president during a really hard
time in American history.
Overall Grade
Overall we though Wilson deserved an A-. Though he
did have his faults he was still loved by the American
people. They loved him so much that the reelected him
in 1917. He also kept America and his fellow Democrats
in mind most of the time.
Sources
Woodrow Wilson Biography. nobleprize.org. 1/7/11. http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1919/
wilson.html
Woodrow Wilson Biography. woodrowilson.org. 1/10/11. http://www.woodrowwilson.org/index.php/woodrowwilson-biography
Wilson A Portrait-League of Nations. pbs.org. 1/10/11. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/wilson/portrait/
wp_league.html
The United States 1904-1914. cnparm.home.texas.net. 1/10/11. http://cnparm.home.texas.net/Nat/USA/
USA05.htm
Woodrow Wilson. sparacus.schoolnet.co.uk. 1/10/11.http://www.sparacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWwilsonW.htm