WHY DID THE US ENTER WWI AFTER IT
- Slides: 5
WHY DID THE US ENTER WWI AFTER IT HAD DECIDED TO STAY NEUTRAL? Let’s take a look at some documents and see what we can figure out! Stanford University Reading Like a Historian
WOODROW WILSON Wilson became president of the US in 1912 He won with less than 50% of the popular vote because the Republican Party split into the Progressive Party (Roosevelt) and the Republican Party (Taft) Wilson was a Democrat from New Jersey, but he won the support of many Progressives because he opposed political machines Political machine = As president, he signed some progressive reforms, like the Keating-Owen Child Labor Act, the Clayton Antitrust Act, and then creation of the Federal Trade Commission. However, he invited controversy because of his views on race. He supported segregation.
DOCUMENTS A AND B DISCUSSION – WILSON’S SPEECHES According to the second speech, why did the US enter WWI? How did Wilson’s attitude change from the first speech to the second speech? Do you trust Wilson’s speech and the reasons he gives for entering WWI?
DOCUMENT C DISCUSSION – US DEPARTMENT OF STATE What reasons does the Office of the Historian give for why the US entered WWI? Do these reasons line up with Wilson’s reasons?
DOCUMENT D DISCUSSION – HISTORIAN HOWARD ZINN Does Zinn agree or disagree with the Department of State? What is Zinn’s argument? What is his evidence? Do you find Zinn’s argument convincing? Why or Why not? Using all of the documents, what would you argue were the reasons for the United States entering WWI?
