WWI: Home Front

Friday November 1, 2013

Bell Ringer (No. 4)• Propaganda

was an important tool in convincing the American public to support the Allies

• What is this cartoon’s message?

Mobilizing the Workforce

• National War Labor Board (NWLB)o Mediated labor disputes that

might otherwise lead to strikeso In exchange for wage increases, an

8-hour workday, and the right to organize unions and bargain collectively, labor leaders agreed not to strike during the war.

• Women supported industryo Filled jobs vacated by men in

the militaryo Shipping, manufacturing, and

railroad jobso Most women returned to their

previous jobs or stopped working after the war

Great Migrationo Immigrants stopped coming during the waro Wartime job openings and high wages in Northern factorieso 300,000-500,000 African Americans left the South to settle in

Northern citieso Chicago, New York, Cleveland, and Detroit

Mexican Americans Head North

• 1917-1920 100,000 Mexicans migrated into Texas, Arizona, California, and New Mexico

• Provided labor for farms and ranches

• Many Mexican Americans migrated north to Chicago, St. Louis, Omaha, and other citieso Factory jobs

• Barrios—Mexican American ethnic neighborhoods

Ensuring Public Support

• Committee on Public Informationo Group of advertising executives, commercial artists, authors,

songwriters, entertainers, public speakers, and motion picture companies to help sway public opinion in favor of the war

o Pamphletso Patriotic talks “four-minute speeches” delivered at movie theaters and

public halls

• Espionage Act of 1917o Espionage – spying to acquire secret government informationo Penalties and prison terms for anyone who gave aid to the

enemyo Penalized disloyalty, giving false reports, or interfering with the war effort

• Sedition Act of 1918o Illegal to publicly express opposition to the waro Allowed prosecution of anyone who criticized the president or

the government

Suspicion• Persecution of German

Americans• New names

o Sauerkraut – Liberty cabbageo Hamburger – Salisbury steak

• Schools dropped German classes

• Orchestras stopped performing Beethoven Schubert, Wagner, etc.

• Mobs attacked Germans, labor activists, socialists, and pacifists

Schenck v. the United States 1919

• Supreme Court ruled that an individual’s freedom of speech could be curbed when the words uttered constitute a “clear and present danger”o Illegal to yell “fire” in a crowded

theater

• Court stated “when a nation is at war, many things that might be said in times of peace are such a hindrance to its effort that their utterance will not be endured so long as [soldiers] fight”

Today’s ActivityChart Work• Using pp. 456-461 in your textbook, complete the

chart.• Use complete sentences.

Graphic Organizer• Write a bullet point in each box we covered today