Wilson's War Message

We'll start today by watching the next 12 minutes of Shell Shock (between yesterday and today we watched from the beginning to 25:50) in order to gain a greater sense of what the war was like before we further analyze Wilson's argument.

Last night, you read President Woodrow Wilson's War Message to Congress and answered questions about it. Today you will work with your partner to explore his ideas in depth before hearing another perspective.

Each person will start with a quote from the first seven paragraphs of his speech (not the same one) and then, in your notebook, respond to the following:

• Wilson believed the US should go to war (when / why)
• Quotation to prove this (you may list this by paragraph number and the first few words).
• 1 sentence of analysis / clarification

You will then pass your notebook to your partner. He/She will respond to your analysis, using a quotation from paragraphs 8-14 that either agrees with the same ideas or makes a different assertion. You'll receive your notebook back and finish by making a conclusion about Wilson's speech. Was it effectively convincing? Why or why not?

Then, we will read George Norris's "Against Entry into the War." You will repeat the same steps for his speech (again, selecting different quotations then your partner).

Next, you will revisit the conclusions you made about both Wilson and Norris - which did you find most convincing? Why? What new questions or thoughts do you have?

Then, some personal conclusions:

• “I believe the US should go to war  __(in these circumstances)___ because _______________”
• “I do not believe the US should go to war __(when what circumstances are true)__ because _______________.”

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Our work with war poems will continue with individual explorations of your poem. Please make a copy of this form to use for your work today.