| |
Twenty-eighth President, 1913-1921
Woodrow Wilson brought a brilliant intellect, strong moral convictions,
and a passion for reform to his two terms as president. The ideas
he brought with him had been developed during an earlier career as
professor of political economy, president of Princeton University,
and governor of New Jersey. On the domestic front, Wilson established
economic reforms and presided over two Constitutional amendments:
the 18th, which instituted the prohibition of alcohol, and the 19th,
which granted women the right to vote. His strong belief in peace
and international cooperation could not keep the United States from
entering World War I, and though Wilson provided effective wartime
leadership, he put equal effort into crafting the postwar peace agreement
and providing the vision for a new League of Nations. Though his efforts
won him a Nobel Peace Prize, his dogged pursuit of an idealistic moral
vision was not universally popular and was thwarted by Congress. After
suffering a debilitating stroke in 1919, Wilson relied heavily on
his wife, Edith, to help run the White House for the remainder of
his term. |
