Biography of Woodrow Wilson


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Wilson, Woodrow. 28th president of the United States. Born at Staunton, VA, 1856. He graduated from Princeton University, 1879; A. M., 1882, from the law school, University of Virginia, 1881, and did post-graduate work at Johns Hopkins University, 1883-85, Ph.D., 1886. He engaged in law practice at Atlanta, GA, 1882-83. After teaching history and political economy at Bryn Mawr College, 1885-88, and at Wesleyan University, 1888-90, he was professor of jurisprudence, political economy, and politics, 1890-1910, and president of Princeton University, 1902-10. He was governor of New Jersey, 1911-13. In 1912, he was elected president of the United States, and re-elected in 1916. During his administration, problems of greater gravity arose than during any presidency since that of Lincoln. On April 2, 1917, he delivered before Congress a momentous address on the rights of nations, which was followed by the declaration of war against Germany. During the remainder of the conflict, he occupied a position of pre-eminence in world affairs. In 1919 he led the American delegation at the international peace conference at Versailles. He secured the establishment of the League of Nations as a part of the peace treaty, but the United States Senate refused ratification. In 1920 he was awarded the Nobel prize of peace. Author: "Congressional Government, a Study in American Politics," "The State: elements of Historical and Practical Politics," "Division and Reunion," "George Washington," "A History of the American People," "The New Freedom," "Constitutional Government in the United States," "Free Life," "When a Man Comes to Himself," "On Being Human."