1. Unit 4: Imperialism and WWI PowerPoint #2

2. Daily Essential Questions:
What caused World War I and why did the United States enter the war?
2. How did the US government get the public to support the war?
3. How were individual freedoms limited during WWI?
4. What was President Wilson’s role in the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations?
5. What were the effects of WWI in the United States?

3. EQ #1: What caused World War I, and why did the United States enter the war?
In 1914,militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism combined to drag Europe into a world war. War lasted until 1918.
The igniting incident was the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, by a Serbian nationalist.
The resulting confrontation between Austria-Hungary and Serbia quickly involved other European countries because of alliances.
2min
Causes of WW1 6min
M.A.I.N.iA

4. World War I through 1917

5. 3. Causes of US Involvement in World War I
2. The United States declared that it would remain neutral.
Wilson had won re-election in 1916 with the slogan “he kept us out of the war” but the US joins in 1917.
3. Causes of US Involvement in World War I
Cultural ties with Britain and France.
Trading relationship with Britain was stronger than with Germany.
German atrocities in Belgium outraged Americans.
German policy of unrestricted submarine warfare.
Zimmerman Note

7. How did U.S. public opinion about WWI fall into three different groups?
Isolationists
favored staying out of the war
Interventionists
favored fighting on the Allies’ side
Internationalists
wanted the United States to play a role for peace but not fight 7

8. How did U.S. public opinion about WWI fall into three different groups?
Isolationists
favored staying out of the war
Interventionists
favored fighting on the Allies’ side
Internationalists
wanted the United States to play a role for peace but not fight 8

9. How did U.S. public opinion about WWI fall into three different groups?
Isolationists
favored staying out of the war
Interventionists
favored fighting on the Allies’ side
Internationalists
(Wilson)
wanted the United States to play a role for peace but not fight 9

10. How did the sinking of the British ship Lusitania impact the US?
German U-boats torpedoed ships bound for Britain.
2. On May 7, 1915, a U-boat sank the British passenger ship Lusitania off the coast of Ireland, killing many Americans.
2min

11. 3. Americans were angry about the Lusitania.
4. President Wilson still wanted peace, but Congress expanded the army and authorized more warships.
5. Germany continued unrestricted submarine warfare on trading ships. 11

12. After this Wilson said, “The world must be made safe for democracy.”
What other event in 1917 led President Wilson to ask Congress to declare war on the Central Powers?
The Zimmermann note was intercepted. In this telegram, Germany tried to forge an alliance with Mexico against the United States.
After this Wilson said, “The world must be made safe for democracy.”
Congress declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. 12

13. EQ #2: How did the US government get the public to support the war?
President Wilson called for volunteers.
Congress passed the Selective Service Act.
More than 4 million U.S. soldiers were sent to Europe.
3. The War Industries Board encouraged factories to increase output.

14. 6. People bought war bonds and planted victory gardens.
4. Similarly, the Food Administration encouraged farmers to produce more food to feed the soldiers.
5. Women entered the workforce to help the war effort. By proving that they could succeed in any type of job, women convinced President Wilson to support their demand to vote.
6. People bought war bonds and planted victory gardens. 14

15. How did the government attempt to influence public opinion about the war?
The Committee on Public information (CPI) encouraged public support for the war by using propaganda.
distributed millions of pamphlets and sent out press releases and speakers.
materials outlined U.S. and Allied goals and stressed the enemy’s cruelty.
Propaganda video clip – actual example 3min

16. Draw this chart in your notes! Complete during the video!
How did the US govt. and Americans get involved in war effort?
What tactics did the Comm. on Public Information use?

17. WWI Posters
Supporting the War 9.30min

18. EQ #3: How were individual freedoms limited during WWI?
1. The government passed laws to discourage dissent.
The 1917 Espionage Act gave postal authorities power to ban newspapers or other printed materials that could incite treason.
In 1918, the Sedition Act outlawed speech that went against the government or the military. ( Eugene Debs was sent to prison for this.)
Interfere with the war effort 20 years in prison/$10,000 fine.

19. d. In Schenck v. United States -1919 –
Socialist, Charles Schenck, attempted to distribute flyers that said the draft was "involuntary servitude" and violated the 13th Amendment (outlawing slavery).
He was charged by the U.S. government with violating the Espionage Act.
Schenck responded that the Espionage Act violated the 1st Amendment right of free speech.
He was found guilty by the Supreme Court on all charges because he presented a “clear and present danger.”
The ruling was eventually overturned (1969).
e. The significance of this case and the laws is that the US government believed it could suppress people’s constitutional rights in the time of war.
3min

20. 2. War enthusiasm created a backlash against German Americans.
Schools stopped teaching German.
People stopped listening to German composers.
Hamburgers - “liberty steaks” and dachshunds - “liberty pups.”
Hatred of the German enemy created violence against German Americans.

21. EQ #4: What was President Wilson’s role in the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations?
Germany surrendered November 11, 1918.
In early 1919, Pres. Wilson traveled to Versailles, France for a peace conference.
He presented a plan for peace based on his Fourteen Points.
Wilson wanted “peace without victory.”
European leaders did not agree and wanted Germany to pay reparations $$$ for war damages.
The 14th point was the League of Nations

22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fISuf8m3_v8 3min 14points
League of Nations

23. 5. The Treaty of Versailles redrew the map of Europe and broke up the Ottoman Empire.
TofV 3min

24. What was the League of Nations?
The League of Nations was an organization where countries could come together to resolve disputes peacefully.
Wilson comes up with it! Significance: Predecessor to United Nations.. ****The Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations was rejected by the US Congress but it provided the idea for the United Nations.
Those opposed believed that being in the League of Nations would bind the US to decisions made by foreign powers.
What is the message of this cartoon?

26. EQ #5: What were the effects of World War I on the United States?
How many US deaths?
1. 116,708 US military died from flu, combat, and wounds. Over 204,000 were wounded.
2. The flu spread around the world and killed 550,000 Americans and more than 50 million people around the world.
Flu 5 min

27. What economic problems existed in
the US after the war?
A recession occurred after the war.
Many women and African Americans lost their jobs to returning soldiers. (Before the war many African Americans migrated north to work in factories and escape racism – Great Migration)
Tension over jobs and housing led to race riots in some cities.
Scarcity of consumer goods and high demand caused inflation, or rising prices. 27

28. What economic problems existed in
the US after the war?
A recession occurred after the war.
Many women and African Americans lost their jobs to returning soldiers. (Before the war many African Americans migrated north to work in factories and escape racism – Great Migration)
Tension over jobs and housing led to race riots in some cities.
Scarcity of consumer goods and high demand caused inflation, or rising prices. 28

29. Why did inflation cause labor unrest?
Many unions went on strike for higher pay and shorter workdays.
In 1919, more than 4 million workers went on strike. 29

30. What was the first Red Scare?
It was the deportation of several hundred immigrants of radical political views by the government in 1919 and 1920.
It was caused by fears of subversion (rebellion) by socialists and communists in the US.
Example: A series of mail bombs targeted industrialists and government officials - One mail bomb was sent to Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, who launched the Palmer Raids in 1920.
Significance:
Police arrested people.
Hundreds of people were deported without a trial – some were innocent.

31. Who were Sacco and Vanzetti and why were
they an example of the Red Scare?
They were Italian anarchists charged with committing murder during a robbery in Massachusetts.
Witnesses claimed the robbers “looked Italian.”
Despite little real evidence against them, Sacco and Vanzetti were convicted and executed. 31

33. Why did Harding defeat Cox?
In the 1920 presidential election, Republican Warren G. Harding based his campaign on a call for a return to “normalcy,” a return to a simpler time before President Wilson.
Harding won the election in a landslide. 33