Blog #30: Wilson's First Inaugural

President Wilson begins his Inaugural Address by stating that the government has become Democratic, and he goes on to describe what this means for the country. He says that with this new party, the Nation will change the practices that it now recognizes as immoral. He uses the example of industrial achievements, and explains that although it produced great success, people forgot to consider the negatives: the people mistreated, the poor, the cruelties of the work place, etc. He says that the government is selfish in cases such as this, and it forgets to consider the vast majority of people. This reflects progressive beliefs, because in the Progressive Era, many reforms were made to correct the wrongs within America. President Wilson is addressing this in a broad sense, stating that there are many things that need to be reformed, which is now being realized because people are becoming aware of both positives and negatives. However, he mentions that we must make these reforms "to correct the evil without impairing the good." In other words, although the Nation should get rid of what is immoral, it should continue what is positive and successful. He finishes by stating that America must fight for the liberty and justice it was founded upon, set aside politics and disagreement, and do what is right.

Woodrow Wilson delivers his First Inaugural Address

The Emancipation Proclamation shifted the Union's purpose during the Civil War from fighting to preserve the Union to fighting to free the slaves. This is similar to Wilson's First Inaugural Address in that it was also part of a shifting viewpoint in America, and people began to realize that there were wrongs in the country that needed to be reformed.