Educating Young People about the Constitution

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Presidents and the Constitution

The President as Chief Diplomat

Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles

Presidents and the Constitution Resources

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“The President shall have the power, by the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided 2/3 of the Senators present agree.” Article II, section 2.

But what does “advice and consent” mean? And how has it come to pass that Presidents negotiate treaties and the Senate merely approves them. Is that right? Who should really have the power to make treaties?

Directions: Read Gleaves Whitney’s Essay on pages 94-96. Underline or highlight the facts you think are important.

Constitutional Connection Activity

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The President as Chief Diplomat

Wilson and the Treaty of VersaillesCritical Engagement Question

What impact did President Woodrow Wilson’s approach to “advice and consent” have on the fate of the Treaty of Versailles?

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Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles

Objectives

• Understand how the Constitution’s separation of powers doctrine influenced the writing and debate on the Treaty of Versailles.

• Analyze constitutional principles in primary source documents.

• Evaluate political cartoons about the Treaty of Versailles ratification debate.

• Assess Wilson’s approach to “advice and consent of the Senate.”

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Wilson and the Treaty of VersaillesBackground/Homework

Handout A: Woodrow Wilson, the Great War, and the Fourteen Points

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Treaty of Versailles “Big 4”, May 27, 1919 (L - R) Prime Minister David Lloyd George (Great Britian) Premier Vittorio Orlando, Italy, French Premier Georges Clemenceau, President Woodrow Wilson

Wilson and the Treaty of VersaillesBackground/Homework continued

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1. What did Wilson hope to achieve with the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations.

2. What was the main concern of Lodge and other Senators regarding the Treaty?

3. What historic “firsts” occurred during the development of the Treaty of Versailles?

4. What clues were there that the Treaty of Versailles might fail.

5. Do you believe Wilson acted prudently in his approach to “advice and consent of the Senate”? Why?

Wilson and the Treaty of VersaillesWarm-Up

Dramatically read Handout B: Setting the Scene.

Senator Hitchcock Narrator President Wilson

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Wilson and the Treaty of VersaillesActivity

Analyze the political cartoons using the questions on Handout C: Political Cartoon Analysis

1. When was this cartoon drawn?

2. Describe what is literally happening in the cartoon in one or two sentences.

3. Describe what is symbolically happening in the cartoon in one or two sentences.

4. What is the cartoonist’s point of view?

5. Do you find this cartoon effective and/or persuasive? Explain.

6. How does this cartoon illustrate the constitutional principles of separation of powers and/or checks and balances?

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Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles

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Seeing Things

Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles

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Lamb from the Slaughter

Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles

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Interrupting the Ceremony

Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles

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Wrap-Up

This is a map of Woodrow Wilson’s speaking tour through the U.S. in 1919. This first of it’s kind train tour covered 8,000 miles and lasted 22 days. How did Wilson’s actions shape the President’s role as Chief Diplomat?

Wilson and the Treaty of VersaillesHomework

Handout D: Three Views on America’s Role

Write two or three paragraphs answering the following questions:

1) With respect to his role as chief diplomat and the Treaty of Versailles, what was Wilson’s greatest achievement?

2) What was his greatest failure? 14

Extension

The League of Nations was formed—minus the United States—and attempted with no success to settle international crises. In 1945, at the end of World War II, the United States took the lead in establishing the United Nations. Research the history of the United Nations. What might Wilson have said about the United Nations?

Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles

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President Harry S. Truman addressing the United Nations Conference. June 26, 1945