# Woodrow Wilson

_28th President of the United States (1913–1921)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/woodrow-wilson
Last updated: 2026-11-02

> Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only Democrat to serve as president during the Progressive Era, when Republicans dominated the presidency and legislative branches. As president, Wilson made significant economic reforms and led the United States through World War I. He was the leading architect of the League of Nations, and his stance on foreign policy came to be known as Wilsonian idealism.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 28 December 1856 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34296#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Staunton ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34296#P19))
- **Died:** 3 February 1924 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34296#P570))
- **Place of death:** Washington, D.C. ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34296#P20))
- **Citizenship:** United States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34296#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; university teacher; lawyer; statesperson; political scientist; jurist ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34296#P106))
- **Political party:** Democratic Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34296#P102))
- **Education:** Davidson College; Princeton University; Johns Hopkins University; University of Virginia ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34296#P69))
- **Spouse:** Edith Bolling Galt Wilson; Ellen Axson Wilson ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34296#P26))
- **Positions held:** President of the United States (4 March 1913 – 4 March 1921); President-elect of the United States (5 November 1912 – 4 March 1913); Governor of New Jersey (17 January 1911 – 1 March 1913); president of Princeton University (1902–1910); Governor-General of the Philippines; president ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34296#P39))
- **Awards:** doctor honoris causa from the University of Paris; Nobel Peace Prize; New Jersey Hall of Fame; Order of the White Eagle; honorary doctor of the University of Warsaw; honorary doctor of the Jagiellonian University of Krakow; Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34296#P166))

## About

Born in Staunton, Virginia, Wilson grew up in the Southern United States during the American Civil War and Reconstruction era. After earning a PhD in history and political science from Johns Hopkins University, Wilson taught at several colleges prior to being appointed president of Princeton University, where he emerged as a prominent spokesman for progressivism in higher education. Wilson is considered one of the founding fathers of the field of public administration due to his 1887 article "The Study of Administration". Wilson served as the governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913, during which he broke with party bosses and won the passage of several progressive reforms.

In the 1912 election, Wilson defeated the incumbent Republican president, William Howard Taft, and the third-party nominee and former president Theodore Roosevelt, becoming the first Southerner to win the presidency since Zachary Taylor in the 1848 election. During his first year as president, Wilson authorized the widespread imposition of racial segregation inside the federal bureaucracy, and his opposition to women's suffrage drew protests. His first term was largely devoted to pursuing the passage of his progressive New Freedom domestic agenda. His first major priority was the Revenue Act of 1913, which began the modern income tax, and the Federal Reserve Act, which created the Federal Reserve…

## Questions

**When was Woodrow Wilson born?**  
Woodrow Wilson was born on 28 December 1856 in Staunton.

**What positions has Woodrow Wilson held?**  
Positions held by Woodrow Wilson include: President of the United States (1913–1921); President-elect of the United States (1912–1913); Governor of New Jersey (1911–1913); president of Princeton University (1902–1910); Governor-General of the Philippines.

**Where did Woodrow Wilson study?**  
Woodrow Wilson was educated at Davidson College, Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Virginia.

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- [Ronald Reagan](https://diginpl.com/people/ronald-reagan)
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- [George W. Bush](https://diginpl.com/people/george-w-bush)
- [Joe Biden](https://diginpl.com/people/joe-biden)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Woodrow Wilson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodrow_Wilson) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikipedia (Nepali): वुड्रो विल्सन](https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%A1%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8B_%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%A8) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q34296](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34296) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: President Woodrow Wilson Harris & Ewing (3x4 cropped b).jpg by Harris & Ewing, photographer (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_Woodrow_Wilson_Harris_%26_Ewing_(3x4_cropped_b).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Woodrow Wilson, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: President Woodrow Wilson Harris & Ewing (3x4 cropped b).jpg — Harris & Ewing, photographer, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Woodrow Wilson". DigiNepal. Last updated 2 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/woodrow-wilson. Retrieved 7 November 2026.