Final answer:
Woodrow Wilson broke with tradition by delivering his State of the Union address in person to Congress in 1913, aligning with his innovative approach to governance which included advocating for Progressive reforms and engaging in significant international diplomacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson broke with a long-standing custom when he delivered his State of the Union address in person before a joint session of Congress. This act marked a change from the tradition that began with Thomas Jefferson, where the State of the Union address would be sent to Congress in written form. As a former academic and governor of New Jersey, Wilson brought new perspectives to the presidency, advocating for Progressive reforms and maintaining his belief in the importance of local control of government. Despite his preference for state-level reforms in such matters as labor laws and trust regulation, he was also a figure on the international stage, most notably in his efforts surrounding the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations after World War I.