12/29/1856 – 2/3/1924
Party: Democratic
Timeline; 1913-1921
#28 Woodrow Wilson- League of Nations Visionary
Wilson served as a professor and scholar for many institutes before being chosen for President of Princeton University (1902-1910). After that he ran for, and won, position of Governor of New Jersey (1911-1913).
1913;
- Wilson becomes the 28th President of the United States at the age of 56. Thomas R. Marshall was his V.P.
- The Federal Reserve Act is established, allowing for a Federal Reserve System, also known as the Currency Bill or Owen-Glass Act
- John D. Rockefeller donates $100 million to begin the Rockefeller Foundation
1914;
- Veracruz incident takes place with Mexico
- World War I is triggered after the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, by a Serbian terrorist group called the Black Hand. 2 Alliances are formed; The Allies and the Central Powers. U.S. takes a neutral stance
ASSASSINATION OF FRANZ FERDINAND
- Germany invades Belgium kicking off World War I officially
- Panama Canal is officially opened
FIRST BOAT THROUGH PANAMA CANAL
1915;
- Rocky Mountain National Park is established in Colorado
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
- Congress authorizes Mounted Inspectors along the US-Mexico border
- A German U-boat sinks the British passenger ocean liner; Lusitania as it was heading towards Liverpool, from New York.
- Kaiser Wilheim suspends unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to keep U.S. out of the war.
1916;
- Saboteurs explode an ammunition depot and destroys docks at Toms River Island near Jersey City, followed by the destruction of a munitions plant in Kingsland, New jersey.
- National Defense Act is passed in response to threats at home and deteriorating relations between Germany and United States.
1917;
- Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare in the European waterways.
- British Intelligence gives Wilson the Zimmermann Telegram where German foreign secretary Zimmermann proposes that Mexico sides with Germany in case of war with the U.S., Mexico declines offer but this was the last straw for the American people.
- Wilson outlines his case for war to Congress
- U.S. declares war on Germany and officially enters WWI
- The Espionage and Sedition Acts make it a crime to interfere with the operations of the military to promote success of its enemies as well as prohibits many forms of speech perceived as disloyal to the US
1918;
- Battle of Cantigny takes place, marking the first major American offensive in the war.
BATTLE OF CANTIGNY
- Americans attack Germans at Chateau-Thierry but the battle morphs into the larger Battle of the Belleau Wood
BATTLE OF BELLEAU WOOD
- Battle of St. Mihiel takes place where 300K troops under command of General Pershing march towards German lines.
BATTLE OF ST. MIHIEL
- Wilson gives his Fourteen Points speech to Congress
- Selective Service Act is passed, requiring all men between 21 and 30 to register with locally administered draft boards for a federal draft conscription lottery.
- Armistice is signed in Redonthes, France, ending WWI and becoming what is known as Armistice Day
1919;
- The devastating world-wide influenza epidemic reaches its height in the US
- The Treaty of Versailles was signed
- Former President Roosevelt is laid to rest in Oyster Bay, NY
THEODORE ROOSEVELT GRAVE
- Eighteenth Amendment is passed, prohibiting the sale, production, importation and transportation of alcohol. Starting the Prohibition era.
1920;
Nineteenth Amendment is passed, guaranteeing women the right to vote.
After initially opposing World War I, Wilson led the U.S. into the war and eventually, drafted the peace plan that ended it. Wilson then fought to create the League of Nations, the forerunner of the United Nations.
Famous quotes;
“The man who is swimming against the stream knows the strength of it.”
“The seed of revolution is repression.”
“America lives in the heart of every man everywhere who wishes to find a region where he will be free to work out his destiny as he chooses.”
“I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow.“