Warm Up You will be given 5 minutes to answer the following:   1. What are TWO new or greatly improved technologies and techniques that were used in World War One? (Utilize your notes from last class, or the textbook. After 5 minutes, you will turn and talk to discuss your answers.

Objective- SWBAT understand why did the United States tried to remain neutral during the war.

President Wilson had long said that the United States should be neutral in the war in Europe. Most Americans supported this view. They did not think the war concerned them. What is your viewpoint on the United States getting involved in foreign affairs? What is your opinion on the United States entering WW1? (Turn and talk)

Plenty of Americans took sides Plenty of Americans took sides. More than 1/3 of the nations 92 million people were either foreign born or children of immigrants. What kind of effect could this have?

Many people favored the countries their families had come from Many people favored the countries their families had come from. Some of the 8 million Americans of German or Austrian background favored the Central Powers. So did many of the 4.5 million Irish Americans, who resented the British because of their rule of Ireland.

Even more Americans favored the Allies Even more Americans favored the Allies. Ties of language, customs, and traditions linked the U.S. to Great Britain. Among these people was president Wilson. He told the British Ambassador, “Everything I love most in the world is at stake”. A German victory, Wilson said, “would be fatal to our from of government and American Ideals.”

Guided Practice As a class, we will “popcorn” read a passage titled, The United States and the War” and answer the following comprehension questions: What is the main idea of this passage? What are two details supporting the main idea? How was America showing their allegiance to the Allied side?

Independent Practice Students will independently read a passage titled, “Submarines Take Their Toll” and answer the following comprehension questions: What was Germany’s reaction to Great Britain and France borrowing U.S. money to pay for their war efforts? What did Germany do in response? Summarize in your own words the attack on the French passenger ship the Sussex

Group Work You will be provided with a graph titled, “Size of the Armies in August 1914”. In groups, you will answer the following questions: How did the armies of the Central and Allied Powers compare in size? Predict how these figures may change when the U.S. enters the war

Closure Why did the United States have such a difficult time remaining neutral during the war?

Homework Write a letter to President Wilson to persuade him either to keep the United States out of the war or that the United States should enter the war.