Final answer:
Washington, Wilson, and Kennedy shared the belief in defending freedom, each within their historical context. Washington preferred neutrality, Wilson leaned on moral imperatives and proposed the League of Nations, and Kennedy implemented more direct interventions during the Cold War.
Step-by-step explanation:
The foreign policies of Presidents Washington, Wilson, and Kennedy had similarities in that all believed that the United States should defend freedom in various forms, either through non-intervention, moral imperative, or actively supporting democracies abroad. However, their approaches to defending these freedoms and engaging with the world differed significantly due to the unique contexts of their presidencies. Washington advocated for neutrality and avoiding entangling alliances. In contrast, President Wilson initially aimed to keep the U.S. out of foreign entanglements unless there was a moral imperative, yet found himself leading the nation into the First World War and proposing the League of Nations to secure a lasting peace. Kennedy's era was marked by the Cold War, where the strategy involved more direct intervention to counteract communist influence and defend democratic ideals.