the Home Front

Mobilizing for War Government needed money for the war WWI cost $33.5 billion dollars To raise money Americans sold – War bonds – low interest loans by civilians to the government, meant to be repaid in a number of years

Americans Helped in the War Effort Boy Scouts sold war bonds Victory Gardens – send food to the troops Wheatless Mondays and Wednesdays and meatless Tuesdays Government limited civilian use of steel and other metals

Social Changes African Americans Women Great Migration North Job opportunities Escape racial tension Women Took over male jobs 1919 passage of 19th Amendment

Propaganda President Wilson created the Committee on Public Information – writers, artists, photographers and filmmakers produced propaganda – opinions expressed for the purpose of influencing the actions of others. Sold the war through posters, pamphlets and movies.

Intolerance and Suspicion Propaganda stirred anti-German feelings in America Berlin, Maryland changed to Brunswick, Maryland Sauerkraut became “liberty cabbage”

Espionage Act Espionage Act – law that set heavy fines and long prison terms for antiwar activities and for encouraging draft resisters

Sedition Act Sedition Act – law that made it illegal to criticize the war; it set heavy fines and long prison terms for those who engaged in antiwar activities

New Jobs and the Great Migration Labor shortage Willing to hire African Americans 1910-1920 500,000 African Americans moved north to cities such as New York, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and St. Louis Movement north became known as the Great Migration

The Flu Epidemic of 1918 Flu in 1918 that killed 20 million people on six continents No known cure Movement of troops spread the virus 500,000 Americans died