What were the key issues that triggered U.S. intervention in each war?
In this unit activity, you’ll read excerpts of Woodrow Wilson’s Declaration of War message from April 1917, study an infographic detailing the international events that drove the United States toward intervention in World War II, and analyze excerpts of Franklin Roosevelt’s 1941 State of the Union Address (sometimes referred to as the “Four Freedoms” speech). After reviewing these materials, you will answer an essay question addressing the motives for and impact of American intervention in the two world wars.!Assignment!Between 1917 and 1945, the United States fought in two global conflicts and its international role changed dramatically.What were the key issues that triggered U.S. intervention in each war? What did Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt identify as the major ideological justifications for intervention? In your answer, consider how and why the global role of the United States changed as a result of its participation in World War I and World War II.~Context~To answer this question, you may wish to consider some related issues, which you may have explored within each chapter. You can review the “Focus Questions” in each chapter and think about the following questions.How do Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt describe the threats facing the United States? How would you describe the tone of each speech?What actions does each president recommend? What does each president believe will happen if these actions are not taken?What do Wilson and Roosevelt identify as America’s ideological aims?Your response should be 5-6 paragraphs in length, and should meet the following criteria:It addresses all portions of the topic or prompt.It has a fully developed thesis.Ideas are stated clearly and easy to understand.Major supporting ideas are thoughtful, readily identifiable and well-developed in unified paragraphs with concrete, substantial and relevant information.It demonstrates command of language, with precise word choices, and few—if any—errors in usage or mechanics.
