A Leader Among Leaders

By: Jasmine Wang

Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th president of the United States. He is
commonly known as one of the nations greatest presidents (History.com) by
historians. His term began in the year 1913 and he continued reigning until 1921. Born
in December 28, 1856 (Father: Joseph Ruggles Wilson, Mother: Janet Woodrow
Wilson) in the town of Staunton, located in Virginia, Wilson did many things before he
took office. He was a professor at Bryn Mawr College and became New Jerseys
governor (Democratic party) in 1910. Wilson was also the 13th president of Princeton
University! In the year 1885, Wilson fell in love with Ellen Axson and decided to marry
her. She was a daughter of a minister (same as Wilsons mother) as well as a local
resident of Georgia. Together they had 3 children, all of them were girls. Ellen, however,
had caught a kidney disease in which she died in 1914. Wilson later on married another
woman, Edith Bolling Galt (who was a widow).
With Woodrow Wilson in office, new laws and acts were added by the Congress.
The Underwood-Simmons Act was passed so that tariffs on imports didnt cost as much
as it did before. A new tax was also created from this act. As the devastating World War
I (WW1) started raging on in 1914, Wilson tried his best to keep the United States out of
it. Even with Lusitania sinking and the deaths of more than 1,100 people (128 of them
Americans), Wilson still kept his head cool and his promise unbroken. That is until the
Zimmermann note was brought to Americas hands which occurred after Wilson took his
second term in office along with his partner Thomas Marshall (Wilson was able to win
because he kept America out of the war just as he said he would). Woodrow Wilson
finally declared war on Germany in April 2, 1917 with his famous saying, The world
must be made safe for democracy.
America was able to help the Allied win the war and in the end, a treaty must be
made. Wilson helped to make the Treaty of Versailles by compromising and debating.
He didnt want to punish Germany very harshly fearing that another war might brew out
of it so Wilson decided to write the Fourteen Points. However, he was quickly shot down
by the Congress and the Fourteen Points never took action. Throughout the rest of his
life, Wilson faced many hardships. At one point, he had a stroke that almost left him

completely paralyzed! However, with his life came many new opportunities. Thomas
Woodrow Wilson strived to create equality amongst everyone. His drive to make an
equal place resulted in the Congress passing the 19th Amendment, allowing for women
to rightfully vote (1920). Wilson left his term as president in 1921 and went on to live
with his family in Washington, D.C. His life ends the 3rd of February, 1924 (at 67 years
of age) and his body, buried in the Washington National Cathedral but his achievements
will forever be known throughout history.

Work Cited
http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/wilson.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/woodrow-wilson
http://www.woodrowwilson.org/about/biography