During World War I, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson promoted the concept of "self-determination," meaning that a nation—a group of people with similar political ambitions—can seek to create its own independent government or state. The idea is also alluded to in the fifth of his Fourteen Points, although the words "self-determination" are never explicitly used.
Why did Wilson promote the idea of "self-determination" even though it conflicted with the colonial claims of many allies? The worksheet found below explores this question and more through a brief excerpt from historian Erez Manela. The text for the worksheet is taken from a March 2019 Carnegie Council podcast entitled, "The Crack-Up: Egypt & the Wilsonian Moment, with Erez Manela" and is based upon a New York Times opinion piece written by Manela.