WWI

Day 1: "To Be Neutral or Not To Be Neutral: That is the Question"


[|US President Woodrow Wilson's Declaration of Neutrality, 1914] According to Woodrow Wilson, "every man who loves America" will be sure to "act and speak in the true spirit of (fill in the blank)." What did the demographics of the U.S. have to do with Wilson's rhetoric concerning neutrality?

Wilson loudly proclaimed U.S. neutrality in 1914. In 1917, the U.S. entered WWI (and helped lead the Allies to victory in 1918). What changed in just 3 years? Did Wilson no longer belong to the category of "every man who loves America?" Why did the U.S. decide to join the Allied side? How neutral was the U.S. between 1914-1917? Open up the PDF file below and try to figure it out!

Day 2: "Selling the War"
During the last class you saw several reasons that may have led to U.S. involvement in World War I. When a nation, especially a democratic one, goes from peacetime to wartime, it must "sell" the cause(s) of the war to its citizens. However, not all sales pitches work to a general audience. For example, few presidents could inspire many citizens to enlist in the army and risk 'life and limb' by saying "Fight for the U.S. because it will be great for business and we can avoid economic collapse if we do not get repayed for all of our loans!!!!" In World War I, what two main "selling points" did Wilson use to get the American people onboard with fighting the war? HOW did he get the American people to "buy into" his arguments? Be specific on the 'how' question (2nd site is great for this) The following websites should help you tremendously: [|How did Wilson Turn WWI Into an Ideological Crusade?] [|George Creel, The Man in Charge of Getting People to Say 'Yes' to World War I]

The PowerPoint below has several examples of the propaganda produced during World War I. What were some of your favorite strategies used during this time period? What were the goals of the different propaganda types?

And finally, answer the following questions at the end of your class journals (we have not used these in awhile!), each in a detailed paragraph or two. Journal Entry 1: Why do you think countries (such as the US in WWI) spend so much energy on a propaganda campaign for //their own citizens// during wartime? Also, what do you think would happen if they do (did) not? Journal Entry 2: Niccolo Machiavelli is famous for the-you guessed it-Machiavellian philosophy that believes "the ends justify the means." In essence, it does not matter HOW something is achieved as long as the goal is met. In the case of war, is it acceptable to mislead a country about the __full range__ of reasons for going to war as long as the leaders of that country believe it is in the country's best interest to win the war? Why or why not? Include at least two examples from World War I.

Day 3: "Shut Up and Movin' On Up"
2 Questions for Today: (1) What happened to freedom of speech during and immediately after World War I? (2) How did the US change as a result of the war?

Part A: How do the Espionage Act, Sedition Act, yelling "fire" in a crowded theater, and "clear and present danger" relate to freedom of speech and World War I? You should look these up on your own and tie them all together in small groups. The PPT that follows can help you get started:

Part B: How did the "Great War" affect worldwide technology? How did it cause changes for women, minorities, and the US in the world? Your teacher will help go over this with you.

Part C: In the remaining time, plan ahead for your chapter teaching day.

For Further Study: [|American Neutrality and Entry into World War I] [|BBC's Awesome WWI Site] [|WWI Document Archive]