University of North Dakota Woodrow Wilson Question

Every American President makes decisions. Some decisions are made in times of crisis and others are routine and mundane. I have chosen six Presidents and one key decision made during their term. Your assignment is to choose ONE of the following and offer a concise analysis of the impact of their decision. Your paper should be separated in to the following sections:

1. Why did you choose this particular President/Decision?

2. What were the circumstances/ issues that brought about the decision?

3. What was the short term impact of the decision? Was it successful/not successful?

4. What, if any, are the long term impacts of the decision? How did the decision change the country–if it did at all.

The Presidents and the decisions (Choose ONE):

1. George Washington deciding to limit his Presidency to two terms.

2. Thomas Jefferson deciding to buy The Louisiana Territory from France.

3. Abraham Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation.

4. Woodrow Wilson declaring war on Germany in 1917.

5. Harry Truman deciding to drop two atomic bombs on Japan.

6. John Kennedy decides to empower NASA to put a man on the moon.