History of the United States II / Unit 8 USH2 1064 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Wilson Asks for War
Captions available
The idea
On April second, nineteen seventeen, Wilson went before a joint session of Congress and called for a declaration of war against Germany.
In practice
Four days of debate, and the vote on April sixth.
Where people slip
The National Archives notes that Wilson had declared neutrality in nineteen fourteen and moved to war only after the events of nineteen fifteen to nineteen seventeen.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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