Step 1 Read the prompt 3 times

Step 2 S ubject N umber of Parts A ction word P eriod of time I nclude words in essay

Step 3 Write everything you can about the subject.

Step 4 Read each Document and write a summary phrase. Doc 1 = Doc 2= Doc 3= Doc 4= Doc 5= Doc 6= Doc7 =

Step 5 Plan/ Outline Intro = Thesis Statement Body 1 = Body 2 = Body 3 = Conclusion = Synthesis

Step 6 Write a Thesis.

Step 7 Write DBQ. Do not summarize or quote documents.

Thesis for prompt on page 459. There were drastic changes in U.S. policy in 1917 that were consistent with traditional American values. The values of fighting for democracy, gaining economic opportunities, and rendering civil liberties for the greater good all demonstrate these values.

Body 1: Fighting for Democracy The traditional American value of fighting for democracy has been evident throughout U.S. history, as recently seen in the Spanish American war where with the help of yellow journalism America assisted Cuba in gaining independence. Democracy is the pinnacle of American society, and therefore, when Europe was on the verge of losing it, and Germany kept on sinking American vessels and tried to ally themselves with Mexico (British intelligence intercepted the Zimmerman note), Wilson had no other option than to address congress to declare war on Germany (Doc.3). In order to gain support for fighting for democracy in Europe, Americans needed to be sold on this idea. President Wilson appointed George Creel to head the Committee of Public Information to convince the American public to support the war. Creel hired the best writers, artists and actors to create this convincing propaganda as seen in Document 5. Other committees were developed such as the Food Administration under Herbert Hoover that encouraged American to grow “victory” gardens, and the Fuel Administration which created daylight savings to support the war effort. Influential leaders such as Teddy Roosevelt also encouraged Americans to support these committees by doing their part (Doc. 7) hence, acting upon our traditional American value of fighting for Democracy.

Body 2: Economic opportunity “America’s business is business” as stated by President Coolidge defines the value and truth of how America values economic prosperity. Economic opportunity is as much as a traditional American value as fighting for democracy. This can be seen in America’s drive in settling the West under the influence of Manifest Destiny and the emergence of industrialization and finding new markets to buy and obtain raw materials through imperialistic efforts. President Wilson might have disguised his true reasons to go to war as fighting for democracy however, out of the many sacrifices that are made in war America emerged as a world power. Unfortunately, it takes war to achieve economic prosperity as seen in the increase of exports vs imports during the war ( Doc. 2). The government forced private businesses to manufacture war supplies to then ship to American allies and soldiers overseas creating this economic boom. Many, like Senator George Norris (Doc. 4) argued against going to war believing that human life was worth more than economic prosperity, however, if America could have benefited economically by “fighting for democracy” (which was the more politically correct reason) who is to blame America for gaining economic prosperity at the same time they were fighting in a “moral” war? Americans valued economic prosperity and if there was a way to improve America’s standard of living they were willing to fight for this economic opportunity as seen in the outcome of WWI.

Body 3: Civil Liberties Civil liberties such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion are traditional American values as well. These rights were violated during WWI as seen in the Sedition and Espionage Acts which imprisoned many Americans including Eugene V. Debs presidential candidate of the Socialist Party for speaking out against the war and government. Many pacifist and socialist like Norman Thomas (Doc 6) argued against these violations of freedoms reasoning that the U.S. was hypocritical in fighting for other countries’ and their democracies' while taking away Americans rights and in this case forced them go to war (Selective Service Act) that they did not believe in. Even though civil liberties were violated, they were taken away for the greater good so that the latter values such as fighting for democracy and economic opportunity could exist.

Conclusion There were drastic changes in U.S. policy in 1917 that were consistent with traditional American values. The values of fighting for democracy, gaining economic opportunities, and rendering civil liberties for the greater good all demonstrate these values. Rendering civil liberties for the greater good is a continuity of American history as it occurred during the Civil War when president Lincoln ordered both Habeas Corpus and Marshall Law and in WWII when the government proposed the first peacetime draft.