Thomas Woodrow Wilson, who would become the 28th president of the United States, was born on December 1856, 28 in Staunton, Virginia.

Many historians see him as one of the most influential presidents of the 20th century.

Woodrow Wilson, as he was commonly known, had a law degree and a doctorate in political science. He had been chancellor of Princeton University in New Jersey and had been elected governor of that state in 1910.

In 1912, he was elected president of the United States. Woodrow Wilson fought for reforms, he sought to protect workers, strengthen the banking system and limit the power of large corporations.

He tried to end World War I, which had broken out in 1914, and keep the US out of it. In 1917, he reluctantly decided on America's entry into the war. This helped the Allies achieve victory in 1918. A year later, he was stricken with hemiplegia, which some say was caused by the opposition to many of his peace proposals.

He spent the last two years of his presidential career as an invalid and, according to some historians, the affairs of the government were almost entirely run by his wife, Edith. Woodrow Wilson died in 1924, three years after leaving office.