1. Warm up: Respond to the following questions…
What does patriotism mean to you?
Do you think it’s important for people to be patriotic? Why or why not?
Is it patriotic or anti-American to criticize the United States government?

2. World War I at Home

3. Wartime Agencies and Laws
War Industries Board
Railroad Administration
Fuel Administration
Encouraged companies to use mass production techniques/standardize products
Controlled the nations railroads
Regulated coal supplies, gas and heating oil
Introduced daylight-savings time
National War Labor Board
Food Administration
Committee on Public
Information
Resolved labor disputes
Pushed for improved working conditions
Encouraged Americans to reduce food consumption
Used ads to popularize the war

4. The War Industries Board
Tasked with efficiently managing US industry in the manufacture of war materials
Controlled what products were made in factories
Created in July 1917
Run by former stockbroker Bernard Baruch

5. Food Administration
Responsible for increasing food production and reducing food consumption
Encouraged families to grow their own food in “victory gardens”
Encouraged “Wheatless Mondays” & “Meatless Tuesdays”
Run by Herbert Hoover

6. Fuel Administration
To conserve fuel, Daylight Savings Time was created and Americans
Asked to observe “Heatless Mondays”
Factories not making war materials had workweeks shortened

7. Paying for the War US spent $32 billion on the war
Congress raised income taxes and created new taxes on corporations
US also borrowed $20 billion from American citizens through the sale of Liberty Bonds or Victory Bonds

8. Were critics of American involvement in World War I anti-American?

9. The War at Home
Socialists, Christian pacifists, women’s groups, unionists opposed the war.
Committee on Public Information formed in 1917, a propaganda agency that galvanized public support for U.S. war aims.
The president pushed through Congress the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918, suppressed pro-German and anti-war opinions.

10. The Committee of Public Information
propaganda agency that galvanized public support for U.S. war aims.
Headed by George Creel
Published propaganda and radio addresses

12. How far are YOU willing to go for your country?
Espionage Act – 1917
- forbade actions that obstructed recruitment or efforts to promote insubordination in the military.
- ordered the Postmaster General to remove Leftist materials from the mail.
- fines of up to $10,000 and/or up to 20 years in prison.

13. How far are YOU willing to
go for your country?
Sedition Act – 1918
Anything that criticized the U.S. government, war effort, etc. is outlawed and punishable by prison
Example: Speak against purchasing war bonds, criticize govt. or Constitution, incite or urge protests against war, etc.

14. Espionage and Sedition Acts
Prosecuted: 2,000+
Convicted: 1,000+
Loss of mailing privileges for publications that criticized the war
People who opposed the war fired, imprisoned

15. The War at Home Read Documents A and B:
Who is the audience for each document?
For each document: What is the main message?
Honors: Do you think Debs and Schenck were anti-American? Why or why not? Explain for both
Now examine Document C (on Weebly)
Why did the U.S. pass this law?
Do you think think law was necessary? Why or Why not?
Honors: Consider whether or not Debs and Schenck were guilty of breaking this law.
Now read Document D (also on Weebly)
What does this ruling say?
Do you agree with the ruling? Why or why not?