1. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare The British used their navy to blockade the German coast. This prevented weapons, military supplies, and food from getting to Germany. By 1917, the German people were starving – 750,000 Germans starved to death as a result of the blockade. Meanwhile, however, the U.S. did continue to trade with Britain. This made Germany angry – was the United States really neutral?

2. that they had endured. They targeted any supply ships heading to Britain, including American ships. The Germans torpedoed ships without warning, killing scores of civilians. This angered many Americans and help push them towards siding with the Allies in the war. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare The German response to the British blockade was the use of submarines called U-boats. Their goal was to sink supply ships heading to Britain and make the British suffer the type of agony

3. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare: Sinking of the Lusitania On May 7, 1915, a German U-boat sank the British passenger ship, the Lusitania. Statistics: The ship sank in 18 minutes 1,195 of the 1,959 on board killed 123 Americans killed Germany’s response to the incident: “The Government of the United States proceeds on the assumption that the Lusitania is to be considered as an ordinary unarmed merchant vessel. The Imperial Government [of Germany] begs in this connection to point out that the Lusitania was one of the largest and fastest English commerce steamers, constructed with Government funds as auxiliary cruisers, and is expressly included in the navy list published by the British Admiralty.”

4. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare 1.What was the goal of the German use of U-boats? Why did Germany have this goal? 2.How many people died when the Lusitania was sunk? How many were American? 3.How would the German U-boat campaign and the sinking of the Lusitania affect U.S. public opinion about Germany? 4.How did Germany justify sinking the Lusitania?

5. On January 19, 1917, Arthur Zimmermann, the German foreign minister, sent a coded telegram to the German ambassador in Mexico. British intelligence agents intercepted the telegram and decoded it. On February 24, the British passed the telegram on to President Wilson. On March 1, the telegram was published in national newspapers. On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. The Zimmermann Telegram Read the telegram – What is Germany going to propose to Mexico?

6. The Zimmermann Telegram 1.According to this telegram, what did the German government decide to begin on February 1, 1917? 2. What did Zimmermann propose to the Mexicans if the U.S. went to war with Germany? 3.How did the U.S. respond to this telegram?

7. Women at War After the United States entered the war in 1917, women supported the war effort in numerous ways. In addition to continuing their pre-war reform work, women reformers sold war bonds and conserved food. Women sent relief supplies to suffering Europeans. Some women’s groups sent delegations to Europe to provide relief for American soldiers. The government established an advisory committee, the Women’s Committee of the Council of National Defense, headed by suffragist Dr. Anna Shaw, to coordinate women’s war efforts. During the war, women also entered the workforce in new ways. Women served in the navy and marines, and thousands served as nurses. On the home front, women worked in factories and in the government.

8. World War I led to several important advances for women. Women’s war work increased support for woman suffrage and contributed to the passage of the 19 th Amendment in 1920. Women at War 1.In what ways did women contribute to the war? 2.How did WWI change the lives of women in the future?

9. Propaganda Propaganda posters were very widespread during World War I, even when the United States remained neutral. Propaganda is 1.Define propaganda in your own words 2.In what 3 ways were propaganda posters used in the U.S. during WWI? the spreading of ideas that help or hurt a cause. American propaganda posters during WWI encouraged Americans to conserve food and money, to buy war bonds to help pay for the war, and, later, to join the different branches of the military.

10. Propaganda Now take a look at the computer. The website shows you examples of American propaganda during the war. Scroll through 5-10 of them and answer the following questions: 3.What is the United States asking of its citizens? Jot down several specific examples that you see in the propaganda posters. 4.What strategies are used to convince people to help the war effort?

11. African Americans at War The Selective Service Act of 1917 created the draft. Nearly 400,000 African Americans were enlisted in the armed services. Although they served their country like any other soldier, racial discrimination and prejudice continued. Segregation was even enforced in the military, and whites and blacks could not serve along side each other in the same regiment. Members of the 369 th Infantry Division, better known as the Harlem Hellfighters

12. African Americans at War 1.How was racism prevalent in the military? 2.What was special about the Harlem Hellfighters? List at least 2 facts. 3.How did black women serve their country? Watch the YouTube video titled “They Came to Fight.” Then, answer the questions below.

13. The Selective Service Act Three weeks after war was declared on Germany in 1917, only 32,000 Americans had volunteered for service. Wilson realized that this was not enough military strength to win the war, so he called for a draft. All males aged 21-30 were required to register at local polling stations. The age limits were later changed to include all men from ages 18-45. The drafts carried out during World War I led to the successful registration of almost 24 million American men.

14. Within a year, 24 million men registered 3 million called up (drafted) 2 million sent to Europe 1 out of 5 were foreign born 400,000 African Americans served in segregated units The Selective Service Act 1.Why did Wilson implement the draft? 2.Who had to register? 3.How many were drafted into the military?

15. Costs of a Mechanized War World War I was a new kind of war. Nations soon realized that a modern, mechanized war meant that the entire nation’s resources needed to be devoted into the war effort. Nations on both sides implemented the draft, raised taxes, borrowed money, and rationed food, clothing, gasoline, and other products. Every citizen was encouraged to contribute to the war effort in some way, from fighting on the frontlines to manufacturing weapons or growing food at home. 1.Why was a mechanized war more expensive than previous wars?

16. Costs of a Mechanized War A mechanized war was very costly. The graphs below show the spending of the nations involved.

17. Date Amount Offered ($ Billion) Interest Rate (%) 24 April 191753.5 1 October 191734 5 April 191834.5 28 September 191864.25 21 April 1919 (Victory Bond) 4.54.75 US spent $22.5 Billion on the war 1/3 raised through taxes Income Tax (progressive) – higher incomes taxed at higher rates. War-profits tax Luxury taxes on tobacco, liquor and luxury goods 2/3 of $ raised through Liberty Bonds - a loan the US citizens gave the Federal government US government borrowed money from the American people, who would be paid back plus interest Costs of a Mechanized War

18. 2.How much did the United States spend on the war? 3.Who spent the most of the Allied Powers? The Central Powers? 4. How did the U.S. make most of its money to fund the war? Define this term in your own words.