1. U.S. Entry into WWI
US History - Ms. Meehan

2. Central Historical Question:
Why did the U.S. enter World War I?

3. WWI General Background Info
Allied vs. Central Powers
Allies = Triple Entente: France, Russia, Great Britain + Italy later
Central Powers = Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria
1914 – 1918
1914 Spark = Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (A-H)
1918 Armistice = Germany signs the armistice in France (fighting stops 11th hour, 11th day, 11th month)
Mass death & destruction, trench warfare
Largest world conflict to date (killed 9-15 million)
Modern weaponry (machines guns, tanks, chemical weapons)

4. M.A.I.N. Causes of WWI M: Militarism A: Alliances I: Imperialism
“arms race”
A: Alliances
Countries protected by others in case of war (promoted peace)
I: Imperialism
Competition to amass more colonies (national wealth & influence)
N: Nationalism
Pride in one’s country
Small counties wanted freedom from foreign rule

5. U.S. Involvement in WWI
U.S. sympathized with Britain, but didn’t get involved until 1917
Woodrow Wilson became POTUS in 1912
Wilson was a Democrat from NJ
Fun Fact: he won with less than 50% of the popular vote
Republican Party split into the Progressive Party (Roosevelt) & the Republican Party (Taft)
Signed some progressive reforms, like the Keating-Owen Child Labor Act, the Clayton Antitrust Act, and the creation of the Federal Trade Commission
Fun Fact: kind of racist – he supported segregation & screened “Birth of a Nation” in the White House
1916 Wilson wins re-election (“He Kept Us Out of War” slogan)
1915: RMS Lusitania torpedoed by German U-boat (128 U.S. deaths)

6. Main Question:
Today we’re going to look at why the U.S. entered WWI after it had decided to stay neutral.

7. Central Historical Question:
Why did the U.S. enter World War I?

8. Documents A & B: Wilson’s Speeches
Does Wilson think the United States should enter WWI? Why or why not?
How has Wilson’s attitude changed from the first speech?
Do you trust Wilson’s speech and the reasons he gives for entering WWI?

9. Textbook Excerpt (pgs. 378-80)
What reasons does the textbook give for why the U.S. entered the war?
Do these reasons line up with Wilson’s reasons?
Based on the reasons in Wilson’s speech and in the textbook, do you think the United States had good reasons for entering WWI?

10. Document C – Howard Zinn
What is Howard Zinn’s argument as to why the U.S. entered WW1? What is his evidence?
Does Zinn agree or disagree with the textbook?
Do you find Zinn’s argument convincing? Why or why not?

11. Putting It All Together…
In your journal (dated 1/28/14) write a complete paragraph that answers the following prompt:
Using all the documents, what would you argue were the reasons the United States entered WW1?