Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points Explained | Primary Source Close Read

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

As President Woodrow Wilson negotiated with foreign leaders to write the Treaty of Versailles, he was forced to make extreme concessions from his peace plan, the Fourteen Points. He remained confident in the League of Nations—one of his Fourteen Points—to ameliorate remaining injustices in the Treaty. When he sought the Senate’s consent to the treaty, he found some members of that body so opposed to joining the League of Nations that the Treaty was rejected by votes on three occasions. Wilson neither sought nor accepted the Senate’s advice on the Treaty, and for the first time in American history, the Senate refused to ratify a peace treaty negotiated by the President.

Why was a declaration of war against Germany essential for the United States according to Woodrow Wilson? In this episode of Close Reads Explained, Kirk breaks down President Wilson’s 1917 address to Congress requesting a declaration of war against Germany. The address would eventually lead to the entry of the United States into World War I. Why did President Wilson take his address to Congress? What are the reasons he gives for why the United States should enter the war? April 2, 1917: Address to Congress Requesting a Declaration of War Against Germany: https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/april-2-1917-address-congress-requesting-declaration-war

Why did the U.S. become involved in World War I?

Explores how the U.S. entry into World War I reflected separation of powers.