1. Homework
Essay: Was the United States government justified in restricting American civil liberties during World War I?
Identify specific government policies that restricted civil liberties.
Explore the validity of these policies in a historical context:
Why were these policies institution?
To what extent were they beneficial?
To what extent were they harmful?
Form an conclusion: Weighing the reasons and the costs, were these policies justified?

2. The Versailles Debate 5 min. Yes No
Pro-League forces, led by Wilson and his administration.
Most Democrats, led by Senators Pittman and Williams.
Eastern business interests and international law advocates, led by former President Taft
Anti-League forces, including strong Reservationists, led by Henry Cabot Lodge, Elihu Root, and Senator Cummings
Irreconcilables, led by Senators William Borah and Hiram Johnson
Many mid-westerners, Irish-Americans, and other ethnic groups

3. The Treaty of Versailles, Day 1
Should the U.S. ratify the Versailles Treaty and join the League of Nations?

4. Debate!
20 min.
Working in pairs (A and B), represent the viewpoints of proponents and opponents of the Versailles Treaty and League of Nations.
Read over your position and argument carefully.
Rewrite your position and argument in your own words, making sure to represent each point faithfully.
Debate!
Each side has one minute to state his or her position/argument and explain significant points.
When A is finished, B must recite A’s position/argument back to A’s satisfaction—and vice-versa. The goal is to make sure that both sides clearly understand each other.
When finished, drop A and B drop their roles and try to reach consensus. Which position/argument is most compelling, and why? If consensus cannot be reached, clarify your differences in writing.

5. Why did Versailles fail?
“Politics Is Adjourned”—
Republicans won narrow majority in midterm election and Wilson the only one of the Big Four to enter treaty negotiations without a legislative majority.
Republicans were infuriated that Wilsonian Democrats excluded them from treaty negotiations and the U.S. peace delegation.
Political rivalry between Wilson and Democrat Henry Cabot Lodge, who wanted to “Americanize, Republicanize, Senatorialize” the treaty.
Faced with Congressional opposition, what was Wilson’s next move?
5 min.

6. Delay, gridlock, death 5 min. 1919 –Republican delay tactics.
Lodge added 14 Reservations
Amended Article X, which morally bound U.S. to aid any member victimized by external aggression (power Reserved for Congress).
Wilson now forced to play the obstructionist.
Two votes for the Treaty with Lodge Amendments—both failed to receive the necessary 2/3 majority.
Wilson’s last stand: Make the Election of 1920 a “Solemn Referendum” on the League: Republican Warren G. Harding (OH) def. Democratic Governor James M. Cox (OH).
Wilson died in 1924.
5 min.

7. Processing
Historians debate about why Congress failed to ratify the Treaty of Versailles and join the League of Nations. The following excerpts represent traditional textbook accounts of the failure.
Read each textbook account and answer the close reading questions below. Then, answer the processing question:
What was the fundamental reason America failed to join the League of Nations?
Claim, evidence, analysis
Push analysis by answering the “so what, why is this historically significant, how does this support my claim and directly answer the prompt?”
10 min.