The United States on the Eve of War
A CLOSE READING PERSPECTIVES ACTIVITY
Directions: Below are three primary source documents. Read the context for each document first, then read, annotate (highlighting the key ideas) and SOAPSTone each document. Lastly, consider your personal opinion of the issue and write a letter to the editor of The Washington Post as if you were an American in 1917.
DOCUMENT A - Address to Naturalized Citizens, Philadelphia Convention Hall
Below is an excerpt from a speech that was given to a group that included four thousand newly naturalized citizens. This speech attracted great attention because in it no reference was made to the sinking of the "Lusitania," which had occurred three days before.

“Americans must have a consciousness different from the consciousness of every other nation in the world. I am not saying this with even the slightest thought of criticism of other nations. You know how it is with a family. A family gets centered on itself if it is not careful and is less interested in the neighbors than it is in its own members. So a nation that is not constantly renewed out of new sources is apt to have the narrowness and prejudice of a family; whereas, America must have this consciousness; that on all sides it touches elbows and touches hearts with all the nations of mankind.
The example of America must be a special example. The example of America must be the example not merely of peace because it will not fight, but of peace because peace is the healing and elevating influence of the world and strife is not. There is such a thing as a man being too proud to fight. There is such a thing as a nation being so right that it does not need to convince others by force that it is right.”
May 10, 1915
President Woodrow Wilson
SOAPS
SPEAKER & OCCASION

Woodrow Wilson, 1915, regarding the sinking of The Lusitania.
AUDIENCE

Citizens
(This was a speech to citizens)
PURPOSE

Showing that there is a reason not to fight, and that will not lose pride.
(Woodrow said this to convince citizens).
SUBJECT

Reference to “ The Lusitania”

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
What do you think Wilson means by “Americans must have a consciousness different from the consciousness of every other nation in the world.”?
What is different about America from the countries in Europe, that would change how the US considers going to war?

What is he claiming in this speech? What is his main idea? Do you agree or disagree with his point? Why?

Considering the occasion, how do you think this speech would be interpreted by Americans? Favorably or unfavorably? Why?