  |
 |
|
      |
||
 |
||
    |
||
    |
||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
The Origins of “Wilsonianism”Lesson Plan One of the Curriculum Unit: The Foreign Policy of Woodrow WilsonIntroductionThe influence of President Woodrow Wilson on American foreign policy has been profound and lasting. Just before his inauguration, however, Wilson remarked, "[i]t would be the irony of fate if my administration had to deal chiefly with foreign affairs." How did this former professor and Progressive reformer become the architect of an ambitious foreign policy for the United States? Using a variety of primary sources, this lesson analyzes the sources of the foreign policy that came to be known as Wilsonianism and guides students to compare it with important traditions in American foreign policy.Guiding QuestionWhat were the key features of Wilson's foreign policy, and how did it differ from previous American foreign policy?Learning ObjectivesAfter completing this lesson, students should be able to:
Background Information for the TeacherForeign policy was not a major issue during the 1912 presidential election, as that year's Democratic Party Platform demonstrated. The high tide of Progressivism was sweeping the nation, and Wilson, as well as his opponents William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt, promised the American people ambitious domestic reforms.Nevertheless, Wilson's First Inaugural Address offers clues to the principles that would later guide his foreign policy. As Wilson said, "We have built up . . . a great system of government, which has stood through a long age as in many respects a model for those who seek to set liberty upon foundations that will endure." He called for tariff reform, a crucial step toward open markets. Wilson's career as a political scientist and American historian provides additional insight into the formation of Wilsonianism. Wilson believed that the United States, as an exemplar of democratic rule, should promote the spread of democracy. As foreign policy matters began to dominate his attention, Wilson also came to believe that a global organization, or concert, of democratic nations could both spread democracy and prevent non-democratic nations from making war. Without active leadership by the United States, however, such a noble endeavor would fail. In putting together his foreign policy, Wilson contended with several long-standing trends and principles in U.S. foreign policy. For example, the unilateralism articulated by George Washington in his 1796 Farewell Address still exerted powerful influence. If Wilson was to win public and legislative support for American leadership of a concert of democracies, he needed to rebut the belief that the United States best served its interest by avoiding "entangling alliances." The American System, or Monroe Doctrine, presented another challenge. Would Wilson accept the Roosevelt Corollary and Taft's Dollar Diplomacy, both of which extended the American System in the Western Hemisphere, or would he offer an alternative? The Roosevelt Corollary and Dollar Diplomacy also advanced Progressive Imperialism, as seen in the U.S. assumption of customs collections in the Dominican Republic beginning in 1905 and the sending of U.S. Marines to Nicaragua in 1911. Would Wilson accept without modification his predecessors' justifications for intervention in Latin America? For definitions of the preceding terms, see the following sites, at the EDSITEment-reviewed resource The American President:
Preparing to Teach this Lesson
Analyzing primary sources
Suggested ActivitiesActivity 1: An Introduction to Woodrow WilsonActivity 2: Traditionalists and InnovatorsActivity 3: Traditionalists vs. Innovators: A DebateActivity 1: An Introduction to Woodrow Wilson Students should familiarize themselves with Woodrow Wilson's life, career, and politics, via the EDSITEment-reviewed Internet Public Library: Students will read the text and view the accompanying photographs and film clips, then answer a series of focused questions designed to guide them to Wilson's views about democracy, the role of government, social and economic reform, and America's place in the world. These questions are available in worksheet form on pages 1-2 of the Text Document. Activity 2: Traditionalists and Innovators In the second activity, students will break into sets of two teams, the "traditionalists" and the "innovators." All teams will read the same primary sources, which are grouped into two sets. Each set joins an important Wilson statement on foreign policy to a statement made by a previous President. The traditionalists will look for parallels between the sources, while the innovators will find evidence of what is unique about Wilsonian foreign policy. Excerpts of the following documents have been provided on pages 4-8 of the Text Document, while worksheets to help the students make their lists may be found on pages 9-10. As an aid, all students will receive a one-page handout (located on page 3 of the Text Document) that briefly defines the four main components of Wilsonianism: spreading democracy, open markets, an international organization dedicated to keeping peace, and an active global role for the U.S. Set 1
Set 2
The third activity consists of a debate between the traditionalists and the innovators about this question: "How new was Wilson's foreign policy?" Each side will give two short speeches answering and justifying their answers, followed by two responses from each side. For further guidance, see the Debate Instruction Sheet provided for teachers on page 11 of the Text Document. AssessmentUpon completion of the lesson, students should be able to write short (1-2 paragraph) answers to these questions:
Extending the LessonPortions of the PBS/American Experience film "Woodrow Wilson" could be shown in class to provide additional information about the influences and events that shaped Wilson's thinking about the world and America's part in it. The short video clips about Wilson's legacy and importance, available at the companion website, could also be shown in class. The companion site also provides a lesson plan on War and PeaceTo trace the influence of Wilsonianism in 20th century U.S. foreign policy, students could select one of the four points of Wilsonianism treated in this lesson (spreading democracy for all nations, open markets, an international organization dedicated to keeping peace, and an active global role for the United States) and write a short essay explaining how Wilsonianism affected a major historical event or U.S. policy. Students could use the following EDSITEment-reviewed web sites to make historical connections for their essays: Spreading democracyOpen marketsInternational organization
Active global role for the United StatesNext Lesson PlanReturn to the Curriculum Unit Overview: The Foreign Policy of Woodrow WilsonRelated EDSITEment Lesson Plans
Selected EDSITEment Website
Standards Alignment View your state’s standards |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||
 | ||
   |
| |
| EDSITEment contains a variety of links to other websites and references to resources available through government, nonprofit, and commercial entities. These links and references are provided solely for informational purposes and the convenience of the user. Their inclusion does not constitute an endorsement. For more information, please click the Disclaimer icon. | ||
 | ||
| Disclaimer | Conditions of Use | Privacy Policy Search
| Site
Map | Contact
Us
| ||