The Embodied Presidency
Lesson Title: Wilsonian Idealism and America’s Responsibility to the World.
Grade Level:
 11th grade
 May be modified for other grades and courses
Estimated Time Required
 Number of Days: 1-2 at most
 Number of Half-Hour Segments per Day: 2
Author Information
 Name: Katie M. Willett
 School: Academy of International Studies at Independence High School
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
Charlotte, North Carolina
Brief Description of the Lesson:
 Students will examine Wilson’s idealism in launching America into international affairs.
Students will also examine to what extent did Wilson belief that it was a right compared
to a responsibility. Students will also analyze the international perception of Wilson and
the Big Four.
Lesson Plan Objectives
Content Objectives:
1. Students will learn what the League of Nations and 14 Points were
2. Students will examine America’s changing foreign policy under Woodrow Wilson.
3. Students will learn who the Big Four were and their role at the Paris Peace Conference.
Skill Objectives:
1. Analyze primary documents
North Carolina Social Studies Curriculum Alignment Standard
Course of Study:
6.01 Examine the factors that led to the United States taking an increasingly active role in world affairs.
6.03 Describe how the policies and actions of the United States government impacted the affairs of other countries.
8.02 Identify political and military turning points of the war and determine their significance to the outcome of the conflict.
8.03 Assess the political, economic, social, and cultural effects of the war on the United States and other nations.
Print and Non-print Materials
Print Materials (textbook segments or readings)
 Reading: Woodrow Wilson’s January 22, 1917 Address
 Reading: Woodrow Wilson’s July 4, 1918 Address
 America’s Changing Foreign Policy.doc
 The Man Who Changed the United States.doc
 Peace Without Victory.doc
 Guide to Analyzing Woodrow Wilson’s July 4, 1918 Address. Provided in Analyzing
Woodrow Wilson.doc
Non-print Materials (videos, images, etc.)
 Image: The Big Four. Provided in The Big Four.doc
Supplies (paper, notecards, scissors, etc.)
 Paper
 Pen/pencil
 Transparency (for the Big Four image)
Technology Needs
(Include computer hardware and software, audio-visual components, and internet sites needed to
teach the lesson.)
 Overhead projector
Pre-Lesson Expectations
(Provide a brief statement of the context for the lesson. Where should the lesson fit in the
sequence of the class? What should a student know before beginning the lesson?)
1. A basic understanding of the relationship between the President and Congress in dealing
with international affairs (i.e. Congress must ratify treaties etc.)
2. Students should already have studied World War I and Wilson’s Progressive politics.
3. Students should have a basic understanding of the world powers and colonial powers at
the beginning of World War I.
Activities:
1. Discussion/Writing Prompt 1(5-7 minutes): If you were allowed to ask for anything in
the world, knowing that you would receive it, what would you ask for? Why would you
ask for this?
a. Teachers should be aware that answers such as an iPod, new gaming machines,
new technological devices will most likely make up the answers. This is okay. You
want to know what they want most in the world to help them connect to the desires
the world is going to have after WWI.
2. Discussion/Writing Prompt (5-7 minutes): If you were allowed to give anything to the
world, what would it be? Why would you give this to the world
a. Teachers should note that students may say, “world peace” or some other
variations of that. Teachers should use that trite answer as a platform to delve
into a deeper topic within international relations after WWI.
3. Analyze (Can be assigned for homework to preserve class time. In class estimated time:
10-20mins): President Wilson’s Address to the Diplomatic Corps on July 4, 1918.
a. The teacher should direct students to analyze the primary document given by
Wilson. A series of questions about the document has been provided for the
teacher to use as an assignment or for discussion purposes and may be adapted in
any way the teacher feels applicable. The ultimate purpose of this document is to
establish the beginning of the 14 points that will later be used in creating the
League of Nations. It is here that Wilson claims that it is the US’s responsibility
to establish self-determination.
b. For honors: Students may already know how to analyze a document. The teacher
might want to assign this for homework, or have students analyze it independently
in class.
c. For standard: Students may have little contact with primary documents and the
teacher may want to refresh students on what a primary document is. The teacher
will direct students through the meaning behind the document and its
significance.
4. Discussion/Writing Prompt (5-7 minutes): Do you think it was the United States’
responsibility to ensure a “peace without victory” and that every person in the world had
the right to govern themselves after WWI?
5. Analyze (Can be assigned for homework to preserve class time. In class estimated time:
10-20mins): Woodrow Wilson’s Address to the Senate on Peace without Victory
a. The goal of this document is to look at Wilson’s ideas for peace.
6. Assessment: Provide Students with the handout America’s Changing Foreign Policy.
The students must synthesize information by comparing what they already know about
US History and compare it to how Wilson is using the information to justify his want to
direct international peace relations. The teacher can modify this to be an assessment
inside or outside of class.
7. Discuss/Notes on the League of Nations (15 minutes)
a. Teachers will lead the students though a discussion on the benefits and failings of
Wilson’s proposed peace treaty. Questions are provided for students and teachers
when examining certain aspects of Wilson’s plan. Teachers will ensure that
students understand that Wilson’s idealism did not meet the reality faced by other
European powers. The Teacher could give the notes outright on what the other
nations thought about Wilson’s idealism, or could assign this to the students.
8. Assessment (15-20 minutes/40 minutes) :
a. Essay: Evaluate the extent to which you think that Wilson was justified that it is
America’s right and responsibility to help the world maintain peace. Cite the two
speeches that we examined and the world’s responses to Wilson’s 14 points.
Or…..
b. Skit:
1. Choose four students to be the “Big Four”. Place a long table at the front
of the room, and have these students sitting at it with the picture of the
“Big Four” projected behind them. These four students are going to be
listening to the rest of the students come forward and state their case for
what they want to happen to their countries after World War I and the
Paris Peace Conference. Help these four students to realize what their
role is going to be and who they are going to want to protect.
2. Divide the rest of the groups into different countries that wanted certain
things from the Paris Peace Conference. Suggestions are Poland, Japan
and perhaps even Ho Chi Minh. Provide these students with brief
backgrounds on their countries and as the students work, help them
come up with effective ways to plead their case to the “Big Four”.
3. Carry out the simulation with the different groups coming forward to
plead their case.
4. Have the “Big Four” make their decisions
5. Debrief: Discuss why the “Big Four” made certain decisions that they
did.
6. Evaluate: Have students evaluate their peers and conduct an final
evaluation.
Assessment:
1. America’s Changing Foreign Policy: The student must navigate his/her way through the
primary documents and synthesize information based upon the primary documents
provided. The teacher may decide what rubric would best fit this assignment and the
class.
2. Essay: Evaluate how Wilson’s personal influences affected his ability to conduct foreign
policy.
3. Others provided in step 8 under Activities
4. Rubrics are provided as attatchments.
Supplemental Information for Teachers:
 The Man Who Changed the United States.doc is provided for teachers who feel that
their students might need to see what influenced Woodrow Wilson as a man and how it
affected his politics. Teachers can modify and adapt this to fit the lesson in any way they
wish. This also provides the basis for one of the assessments
Related Internet Resources
(Provide web addresses related to the lesson plan that a teacher might use as background or
supplementary material for the lesson.)
 Website with link to lots of other websites for Wilson:
http://www.dlt.ncssm.edu/presidents/
 The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library:http://www.woodrowwilson.org
o Has a lot of information as well as a digital archive. The staff is really friendly
and willing to help with almost everything.
Attachments
(List the filenames for charts, presentations, or other materials created for the lesson.)
 Reading: Woodrow Wilson’s January 22, 1917 Address.doc
 Reading: Woodrow Wilson’s July 4, 1918 Address.doc
 America’s Changing Foreign Policy.doc
 The Man Who Changed the United States.doc
 Peace Without Victory.doc
 Guide to Analyzing Woodrow Wilson’s July 4, 1918 Address. Provided in Analyzing
Woodrow Wilson.doc
 Essay Rubric.doc
 Colonialism Role Play.doc