A World at War:World War I

American History

Grade 10

Unit 4

Author:Joshua Hazelrigg

Table of Contents

• Objectives

• Materials

• Web Sites

• Student Activities

• Presentation Slides

Objectives

• This unit is designed to teach students the events that led to America becoming involved in World War I and the results of the war.

• To prepare students of the benchmarks and knowledge necessary for passing the OGT.

Materials

• Computers for research

• Historical maps of Europe

• LCD projector or overhead for visuals and maps

• Pens, pencils, paper

• Index Cards

• Colored Pencils, Crayons, or Markers

Web Sites

• First World War.com

• History Channel

• PBS.com: The Great War

• BBC.com: World War I Schools Web

• Eyewitness History.com

Student Activities

• Introduction Quiz

• Alliance System Activity

• Who Did What (In America) Activity

• Versailles Meeting Activity

• How the World Changed Activity

Student Activities

• An introduction quiz to see what the students remember about World War I.

• This activity is to assist the teacher in knowing what sections of World War I need to be focussed on more than others.

• Go Back to Student Activity Listing

Student Activities

• The Alliance System– Students are given cards telling them who they have

alliances with.– Using these cards and prompts from the teacher,

students must decide whether to declare war, stay neutral, or compromise.

– After all prompts are used, students will be asked the benefits and shortcomings of the alliance system.

– Go Back to Student Activity Listing

Student Activities

• Who Did What (in America)– Students are given handouts explaining the life of an

individual in America during WWI (i.e. Women, African Americans, soldiers, children and businesses).

– Students will read and take notes on their person.– Students will then split into groups and create a jigsaw

of notes about the different people of America.– Go Back to Student Activity Listing

Student Activities

• Versailles Meeting Activity– Students are assigned to groups that will represent

the major players in the Treaty of Versailles.– They are given their amount of influence,

objectives, goals, and flexibility.– With this information, they must create a

cooperative treaty that deals with the problems facing those at the end of World War I.

– Go Back to Student Activity Listing

Student Activities

• How the World Changed Activity– The students will receive multiple maps of Europe to

show the stages of Europe throughout American interaction.

– Students will color alliances, territory gained and lost, and new nations created after the Treaty of Versailles.

– The time periods covered will be the beginning of the war, pre-American intervention, Europe at the cease-fire, and after the Treaty of Versailles.

– Go Back to Student Activity Listing

Prelude to War

• President Wilson believed America had more domestic problems.

• America had problems with Latin America (esp. Mexico)

• Pancho Villa raids New Mexico and kills 18 people.

In the Caribbean

• Wilson sends marines to overthrow multiple governments.

• Wilson purchases the Virgin Islands.

Concern in Europe

• Alliance system creates tension among nations.

• Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy (Triple Alliance)

• France, Russia, & England (Triple Entente)

• Archduke Ferdinand assassinated. War erupts.

• Italy leaves Triple Alliance and Ottoman Empire joins.

America Chooses Neutrality

• Americans divided because of heritages.• Trade shrinks between Central Powers and USA.• Trade grows between USA and Allies.• Britain puts a blockade on all goods going to

Germany and declares them to be contraband.• Germany is angered and reacts by attacking

merchant ships.

Germans React to America’s “Neutrality”

• German U-boats sink unarmed ships.

• 1915 - Germans sink Lusitania, kills 128 Americans, and sinks Sussex.

• Instead of going to war, Germany agrees with Wilson not to sink anymore merchant ships.

America Drawn into War

• Germans continue to sink all ships in the Atlantic, including US ships.

• America intercepts the “Zimmerman Note” (Germany asking Mexico to go to war with US to keep US occupied).

• US declares war on Germany (April 6, 1917)

• Congress passes Selective Service Act establishing the Draft

• Armed forces grow from 200,000 to 2.8 million.

• 200,000 African-Americans fights in WWI.

• America turns the tide of war and Germany signs an armistice.

War Efforts at Home

• Industries begin to mobilize and organize war production.

• Women and African-Americans gain jobs.

• Government passes “Excess Profits” tax to pay debts.

• Propaganda fuels pro-war attitudes.

• Anti-War sentiments silenced by Espionage and Sedition Acts.

• Germans were persecuted due to their heritage.

“Victory” in Europe

• France, Britain, US, and Italy meet in Versailles to create a peace Treaty.

• Wilson presents his Fourteen Points.

• Most of the Fourteen Points are ignored.

• Germany is forced to pay reparations, lost territory.

• Austria-Hungary is split.

• Ottoman Empire lost territory.

• League of Nations created (but the US did not join).

America Demobilizes

• Inflation doubles.• Agriculture prices

plummet because of lost demand.

• Racial Tensions continues.

• One of the few positives is the passing of the 19th Amendment. (1920).

The End