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Who was William Jennings Bryan?

William Jennings Bryan was an American politician and lawyer born in Salem, Illinois, in 1860. He served as the U.S. Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1915.

Bryan was a prominent figure in the Democratic Party and a passionate advocate for progressive causes, including the regulation of trusts, women's suffrage, and labor rights. He is perhaps best known for his fiery speeches on the issue of free silver, which helped secure him the Democratic nomination for president in 1896, 1900, and 1908, although he was ultimately unsuccessful in winning the presidency.

During his tenure as Secretary of State, Bryan worked to establish a number of important international agreements, including the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish-American War, and the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty, which helped to establish the U.S.'s dominance in the Caribbean. However, his tenure was cut short when he resigned from the position in 1915, due to his opposition to Wilson's handling of World War I.

Bryan continued to be an influential figure in American politics throughout his life, although he was never able to achieve the level of success he had hoped for as a presidential candidate. He died in 1925, leaving behind a legacy as a committed progressive and a powerful orator.

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