I. Thomas Woodrow Wilson (1856 – 1924)
II. Virginia / New Jersey
III. Educational and Occupational Background:
A. Education: Wilson was tutored by his father for most of his childhood. He went to Davidson College in 1873; however, homesickness and family problems forced him to drop out after only one year. The year after, Wilson enrolled in the College of New Jersey. He graduated 38th in his class and entered the University of Virginia in 1879. Wilson dropped out in his second year but continued to study law and passed the bar in 1882. Later, he entered Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and earned a Ph.D. in history and political science in 1886.
B. Occupations:
1. Governor of New Jersey (1911-13)
IV. Terms of Office: (1913 - 1921)
V. Issues of the Election: (1912) – The Republican Party nominated William Howard Taft and former congressman James Sherman. Theodore Roosevelt felt that this was betrayal of his progressive program, so he and his supporters created a new party. The Progressive Party (Bull Moose Party) nominated Roosevelt and Hiram Johnson, California’s governor. Influenced by William Jennings Bryan’s opinion, the Democrats chose Woodrow Wilson and Indiana governor Thomas R. Marshall after much debate. The Socialist Party nominated Eugene V. Debs for the 4th time while the Prohibition Party selected Eugene W. Chafin. Candidates Roosevelt and Wilson were the biggest during this election: Roosevelt's “New Nationalism” promoted a strong regulatory government that would interfere with business as needed, while Wilson's “New Freedom” supported return to small business and antimonopoly legislation. Because of the division in his party, Wilson won the election, but the many votes for him as well as Roosevelt and debs showed Americans’ support for progressive reform. (1916) – Because of Wilson’s success in persuading Germany to change a policy, he gained immense support from the American people and was easily