Debate – Woodrow Wilson and Democracy
Use this week’s primary sources, the textbook, and the lectures to prepare to debate the following question:
Intentions aside, did Woodrow Wilson and his wartime government strengthen or threaten/weaken the ideal of democracy?
Team A: Intentionally or unintentionally, Woodrow Wilson and his wartime administration strengthened the ideal of democracy.
Team B: Intentionally or unintentionally, Woodrow Wilson and his wartime administration weakened/threatened the ideal of democracy.
At the heart of this debate is the question: How much did Wilsonian rhetoric about a “war for democracy” matter? How should we understand Woodrow Wilson’s impact on democratic movements?
***You should collect direct evidence to support your claim!***
Questions to consider while preparing:
-What was the impact of Wilson’s actions and rhetoric on the long civil rights movement? The suffrage movement? The labor movement? Global democratic movements? Other political movements?
-How was race and gender used in wartime propaganda? Did wartime propaganda uphold or weaken democratic ideals?
-What types of policies did Wilson’s wartime government enact? How would you describe the relationship of the federal government with American citizens during this period?
-Was Woodrow Wilson successful in convincing Americans that the First World War was a “war for democracy”?
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For the make-up assignment: Choose either Team A or Team B’s position and write three main points, supported by evidence from the assigned primary sources, to support your position:
