Lauren's AP American Blog

Summary: Wilson recognizes that the Great War was partly caused by the secretive nature of numerous nations prior to the war. Because of this, Wilson claims that for peace to last, no more secret alliances must form. Wilson claims that international government relations must not be concealed from the public, the seas are open for navigation in both peace and war, economic equality for all nations in trade and commerce, national armaments must be reduced to the minimum amount to protect each nation, an impartial adjustment to colonial claims, outside influence must be evacuated from Russia and Russia must be given assistance to transition into freedom, similarly Belgium must be given its freedom, French territory must be evacuated and its control must once again be given to France, Austria-Hungary, Italian territories, Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro must be evacuted and their control must be restored to what it was prior to the Great War. The Ottoman Empire is near its end, but Wilso

Summary: During WWI, Charles Schenck and Elizabeth Baer, two socialists, claimed that the draft violated the Thirteenth Amendment, since the draft forced people to fight in the war and the amendment prohibited involuntary servitude. Because of the beliefs of these socialists, they began handing out leaflets that urged Americans to avoid the draft, but at the same time not to fall to violence. By obstructing the military in this way, Schenck was put on trial for violating the Espioage Act of 1917. Although Schenck and Baer clearly violated this act, the Supreme Court was left to decide if their conviction went against the First Amendment's freedom of speech. The Court held that the Espionage Act did not violate the First Amendment because of the government's wartime authority. Clear and Present Danger Doctrine: The "clear and present danger" that Justice Oliver Wendall Holmes presents is that when the nation or its citizens are in danger, the government deserves