World War I FRQ
-
1. Why did the United States stay out of World War I between 1914 and 1917? (590 - 591) Perspectives
2. Trace the course of government efforts to create domestic support of the war. To what degree were these efforts justified by the war? (600 - 603) Consequence
3. Define and analyze President Woodrow Wilson’s “New World Order.” (603 - 606) Perspectives
-
1) _____ Write Question (3 pts)
a) _____ name (3 pts)
b) _____ date (3 pts)
c) _____ grammar (3 pts)
d) _____ 800 - 1000 (3 pts)
2) _____Thesis – 1st paragraph (3 pts)
a) _____Supporting Argument #1 (3 pts)
b) _____Supporting Argument #2 (3 pts)
3) _____Supporting Argument #1 – 2nd paragraph (3 pts)
a) _____ Describe/Explain Historical Thinking Skill. (3 pts)
b) _____ Elaborate about the time period and/or argument. (3 pts)
c) _____Names OR Events OR Vocabulary AND why they are important. (3 pts)
d) _____Names OR Events OR Vocabulary AND why they are important. (3 pts)
e) _____Names OR Events OR Vocabulary AND why they are important. (3 pts)
f) _____Historical Accuracy (are your historical facts correct) (3 pts)
g) _____The Argument answers the question (3 pts)
4) _____Supporting Argument #2 – 3rd paragraph (3 pts)
a) _____ Describe/Explain Historical Thinking Skill. (3 pts)
b) _____ Elaborate about the time period and/or argument. (3 pts)
c) _____Names OR Events OR Vocabulary AND why they are important. (3 pts)
d) _____Names OR Events OR Vocabulary AND why they are important. (3 pts)
e) _____Names OR Events OR Vocabulary AND why they are important. (3 pts)
f) _____Historical Accuracy (are your historical facts correct) (3 pts)
g) _____The Argument answers the question (3 pts)
5) _____Contextualization (Summarize the time period) – 4th paragraph (3 pts)
a) _____ What was occurring? (3 pts)
b) _____ Where were the events occurring at? (3 pts)
c) _____ Why were these events occurring? (3 pts)
d) _____ How were these events occurring? (3 pts)
e) _____ Who was involved and in what ways? (3 pts)
-
Date of writing: 9/12/2025
Time limit: 45 minutes
Preparation time: 4 days
Chosen prompt: Define and analyze President Woodrow Wilson’s “New World Order.” (603 - 606) Perspectives
Word count: 906
Grade: 100%
Woodrow Wilson's "New World Order", as envisoned following the bloody aftermath of World War I, can be defined by an emphasis on the necessity for collective protection, open diplomacy, and self-determination, characterized by Wilson's surprising difficulty to compromise and his absence of leadership as the president of the United States. Wilson's idealisms of what a "New World Order" should look like can be visualized in his Fourteen Points, his discussions in the Paris Peace Conference, and his input in the Treaty of Versailles. However, despite his seeming advocation for international relations and the adjustment of foreign politics, his refusal to compromise in his debate with Henry Cabot Lodge and the Republicans of the Senate and his hindering, bedridding disability showed his weaknesses and lack of guidance as a leader.
Woodrow Wilson's visions of a overhauled structure to international politics can be seen through his Fourteen Points as presented at the Paris Peace Conference and his contributions to the Treaty of Versailles. Following World War I, Wilson's perspective was primarily aimed in settling the United States firmly within the realm of and adjusting the arena of international relations, focusing on expanding upon established world instruction and adding the aspects he sees fit. Prior to World War I, the United States fell back into isolationist policies, however, once forced into the war, there was a growing motivation to be included in the international light as more opportunities opened up, a window Wilson expanded on. Wilson' The Fourteen Points of Wilson was a list of additions and changes to world functionality, in which the most prominent were his open covenants, reduction in armaments, the League of Nations, and adjustment of foreign politics points. In his last few points, where Wilson stated numerous alterations for various countries and government bodies such as the Ottoman Empire, Poland, France, and Austria-Hungary, he predominantly states possible actions that promote growth, production, and a sense of nationalism. This displays Wilson's desire for not only a more balanced world, but a growing need for country self-determination. Additionally, Wilson's input in the Paris Peace Conference, an international meeting discussion peace terms with many countries, most prominently, the Big Four, echoed these similar ideologies. It was during this conference where he propsed the idea of "Peace without victory", ringing his desire for the destruction of government secrecy and open convenants as stated in his first point, open diplomacy. In the Treaty of Versailles, a treaty created following the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, Wilson input his idea of the League of Nations, a point of his fourteen that demonstrated his envioned idea of collective security.
While Woodrow Wilson had clear intentions of adding beneficial international structure to the world at a surface-level look, it can be characterized by his lack of compromise and leadership despite being such a dominant, outspoken figure. Although Wilson had a perspective on the world mroe concerned with international connection, Henry Cabot Lodge had one more focused on the interests of America and its position with respect to other, much larger government bodies. Prior to the war, and following his conclusion, the United States had built a strong isolationist sentiment among both its population and government, therefore making it much more difficult to discuss internationally-related topics when the majority of the government was far more concerned with American benefits. In Wilson's debate with Lodge and the Republicans of the Senate, where Lodge voiced his converns about the fact that adopting the Treaty of Versailles would take away Congress's abilty to declare war, Wilson's flaws began to show as a president. In the debate, Wilson had almost a strong sense of stubborness, refusing to compromise with Lodge's points of concern regarding the Treaty of Versaille's effects on the American Isolationism. This reflected Wilson's fallible stand as a leader with the ability to make compromise. Moreover, when he had a stroke, a bedridding disability that ulimately made him unable to think, act, and speak differently, Wilson had trouble communicating and arguing for his desires, thus completely crippling his ability to fight for the adoption of the Treaty of Versialles. This was emphasized bu the fact that due to his disability, his wife, Eddith Wilson, acted as the only conduit in which Wilson's actions could be transferred through. This lack of direct interaction severely hindered his ability to lead and created a heightened lack of transparency, causing panic for those in the government and furthering his appearance as a bad leader.
Woodrow Wilson's "New World Order" unfolded across the year 1919 following World War I. In Wilson's attempts to establish a new structure of international politics, Paris Peace Conference was held in January of 1919; the Treaty of Versailles was formed shortly after, where he presented his Fourteen Points; and he had multiple, severe strokes. These events occured in both Paris and the United States. Both discussed Wilson's desires as a president and position in international relations as well as dometic issues, such as the adoption of the Treaty of Versailles. In Paris, countries such as France, Great Britain, Austria-Hungary, Russia, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire were involved. However, back in American soil where Wilson argued with the Senate and Congress, Henry Cabot Lodge and his Republican backing stood well. In general, Woodrow Wilson was painted as a bad leader, incapable of compromise and had difficulty communicated what he truly desired.
