Woodrow Wilson's Major Achievements

Woodrow Wilson – a brilliant politician

In the past 230 years there have been forty-three presidents of the United States of America. Most of them had average political skills, many of them were outstanding, and only a few are considered to be great historical figures. During the first half of the twentieth century, perhaps the most extraordinary president was Woodrow Wilson. The 28th president of the United States of America was a brilliant politician and president because he did not only know how to skilfully handle economical and social affairs, but also had great impact in terms of foreign politics.

Before the analysis of Wilson’s impact on the United States economy, society and politics, it is important to briefly depict Wilson’s way to his presidency. Wilson was born in Virginia in 1856, the son of a Presbyterian minister who during the Civil War was a pastor in Augusta, Georgia, and during Reconstruction a professor in the charred city of Columbia, South Carolina. After graduation from Princeton (then the College of New Jersey) and the University of Virginia Law School Wilson earned his doctorate at Johns Hopkins University and entered upon an academic career, in 1685 he married Eiien Louise Axson. Wilson advanced rapidly as a conservative young professor of political science and became president of Princeton in 1902. His growing national reputation led some conservative Democrats to consider him Presidential timber. First they persuaded him to run for Governor of New Jersey in 1910. He was nominated for President at the 1912 Democratic Convention and campaigned on a program called the New Freedom, which stressed individualism and states' rights. In the three-way election he received only 42 percent of the popular vote but an overwhelming electoral vote.

After this quick review of Wilson’s pre-residential career, the upcoming analysis will provide prove for Wilson’s fundamental impact on the economy, society and foreign politics. First, former...
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