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Published bySarah Payne Modified over 9 years ago
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Part I
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Believed America was a “city on a hill” A light to the world Saw himself in a messiah role of sorts Brilliant and charismatic President of Princeton University as well as US President of USA President became most powerful man in America under Wilson
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Concentration of power by gov. leaders Even though he said accountability was important Congressional Government Accountability stems from democratic process Elections Pragmatism No absolute values or laws Things change depending upon need Society was more important than individual “There is nothing private in America. Everything is public”
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Wilson’s presidential campaign Stricter regulation of business Government control of money supply Income tax utilized Good: Prevented business from abusing the lowly Helped society’s marginalized Bad: More power in the hands of government Government could assert its own morality
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Wilson had to win over 3 groups Democratic Party Congress American Public
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Division w/in Democratic Party Progressives vs. old line Democrats Wilson sided w/ the stronger side Old line democrats Used patronage Rewarded friends Punished enemies Encouraged loyalty
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Made own legislative program Personal appearances at the Capitol Personal conferences w/ congressmen Delivered messages to Congress in person Made Congress sit for longest session in its history at that time Passed his “New Freedom” legislation
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Great orator Made people believe they were on a moral crusade Informal press releases to influence public
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Created the Federal Reserve Board Composed of 12 regional banks Government can control inflation Federal Trade Commission Act Government given more control over commerce Clayton Antitrust Act Government given more power to break up big business Underwood-Simmons Tax Small income tax Social Welfare Legislation (laws enacted to assist individuals) Federal Farm Loan Act Loans to farmers Adamson Act 8 hour day for interstate railroad workers Child Labor Act Prohibited kids under 14 from working in factories
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Wilson appointed Louis D. Brandeis In the tradition of Oliver Wendell Holmes Brandeis believed law and morality were relative It was questionable whether or not the Senate would approve Wilson’s nomination Wilson said that they had to approve or he would not favor them through patronage Nomination confirmed
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Wilson (Dem) Slogan: “He kept us out of war” WWI going on in Europe at this time Pointed to the legislation he’d passed Charles Evans Hughes (Rep) Left the Supreme Court to accept nomination Also believed in expanded government power Many expected Hughes to win Republicans were majority party
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Republicans advocated war Or at least building up America’s military in case Lost many votes of German immigrants Hughes appeared less progressive Lost votes of intellectuals/reformers California incident Hughes did not meet with progressive candidate for CA governor, Hiram Johnson Even though they stayed in same hotel Appeared that Hughes snubbed him Story spread, even though it was Johnson who had intentionally avoided Hughes Hughes most likely didn’t know Johnson was there Hughes criticized Wilson as being collectivist Businesses supported Hughes Idea of Democrats being liberal, Republicans being conservative emerged
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Close election Hughes confident he had won when he went to bed Phone call to his house shows this “The President has gone to bed” “When he wakes up, tell him he is not the President” Wilson won by 23 electoral votes
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Militarism Arms race Alliances Triple Alliance Germany, Austria-Hungary, Serbia Triple Entente Britain, France, Russia Imperialism Countries had taken over others all over the world, and therefore competed w/ one another globally Nationalism Belief that one’s country was superior Led people to be cocky about start of war Expected quick, easy victory in months Parades at outbreak of war “War to End All Wars”
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Assassination Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria Assassinated by member of “The Black Hand” Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip (19) shot him Sarajevo, Bosnia
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28 July, 1914 – 11 November, 1918 Allies Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Belgium, Serbia, Romania Central Powers Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria
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Lusitania British passenger liner Torpedoed by a German submarine Secretly carrying war materials from US to Britain 1,198 killed, including 124 Americans Many wanted war Wilson remained neutral, made agreements with Germany Germany turned to unrestricted sub warfare Figured it could win war quickly, even if US entered Wilson ended relations with Germany, did not enter war
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Zimmerman Telegram German minister in Mexico sent message to GER Encouraged alliance w/ MEX against US Mexico to get NM, TX, and AZ if war was won Intercepted by British, given to Americans Laconia Ship torpedoed by U-boat 2 Americans dead US entered war on APR 4, 1917 Enthusiasm Wilson: US fighting “to make the world safe for democracy”
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Trench warfare Slow and costly Battle of the Somme 1,100,000 casualties over 7 miles Months long Trenches and machine guns Old war strategies with new weaponry Tanks and barbed wire Naval Warfare British used traditional blockade of Germany Searched goods going from neutral countries into Germany Germans used submarine warfare U-boats Torpedoed suspicious vessels instead of searching them Only way to compete with Britain’s Navy Arial Warfare Planes Sopwith Camel Bricks and bullets Chemical Warfare Mustard Gas
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