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In this unit, students will understand the involvement of the United States in World War I and the cultural developments of the early 20th century. Students will explore the connecting themes of beliefs and ideals; conflict and change; individuals, groups, and institutions; location; movement and migration; scarcity; and technological innovations. These themes will enable students to make connections to a broader understanding of patterns that continue to occur over time.
SS5H2 Describe U.S. involvement in World War I and post-World War I America.
a. Explain how German attacks on U.S. shipping during the war in Europe (1914-1917) ultimately led the U.S. to join the fight against Germany; include the sinking of the Lusitania and concerns over safety of U.S. ships, U.S. contributions to the war, and the impact of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
I can examine primary source and secondary source documents to explain how Germany’s attacks on U.S. shipping between 1914-1917 ultimately led to the U.S. entering World War I (Reasoning and Skill)
I can identify the Lusitania and can explain how the sinking of the Lusitania led to the United States joining the fight against Germany in World War I. (Knowledge)
I can explain the impact 1919 Treaty of Versailles, including the creation of the League of Nations, blaming Germany for the war, and World War II (Reasoning & Skill)
World War I
World War I
Major Events of WWI
Major Events of WWI
The United States begins shipping aid to the Entente Powers.
US citizens are attacked by German forces.
The United States formally enters World War I as an associated power.
World War I (WWI) that took place primarily in Europe between 1914 and 1918. It started when Serbian nationalists assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Arthur Zimmermann, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the German Empire, was tasked with keeping the US out of the First World War. His plan was as ingenious as it was unlikely. He decided to offer Mexico financial and military support should it agree to attack the US and attempt to regain the territories lost in the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. This would keep the US occupied – and out of Europe. On 19 January, Zimmermann sent a coded telegram to the Mexican president, via the German ambassadors in the US and Mexico, outlining the plan. This was his first mistake. What neither Zimmermann, nor indeed the Americans, knew was that the British were tapping the line.
Sinking of Lusitania Changed WWI
Sinking of Lusitania Changed WWI
Over a hundred passengers were killed when a German U-boat sunk this ship. People in the US were furious. Along with the Zimmerman Telegram, it leads the US to join the war against the Germans. A German U-boat torpedoed the British-owned steamship Lusitania, killing 1,195 people including 128 Americans, on May 7, 1915. The disaster set off a chain of events that led to the U.S. entering WWI. This event changed American attitudes about entering World War I, as the submarine warfare by the Germans caused problems with United States shipping which began to hurt the economy.
Unrestricted U-boat Warfare
Unrestricted U-boat Warfare
Britain's blockade across the North Sea and the English Channel cut the flow of war supplies, food, and fuel to Germany during World War I. Germany retaliated by using its submarines to destroy neutral ships that were supplying the Allies. On May 7, 1915, a German U-boat sunk the British ship, the Lusitania, off the coast of southern Ireland. The MOST immediate impact of the sinking of the Lusitania was that Germany temporarily ceased unrestricted submarine warfare.
Jun 28, 1919 CE: Treaty of Versailles
Jun 28, 1919 CE: Treaty of Versailles
Delegates signed the Treaty of Versailles in the former palace's famous Hall of Mirrors, ending World War I.
Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
Following Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in Germany, that country began to rebuild its military. Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was required to pay reparations, keep minimal armed forces, and not build up its Navy. The country was in ruins caused by the destruction of World War I, as well as the Great Depression that had affected Europe as well. Within all this hardship in Germany, Adolph Hitler rose to power. Under his leadership, Germany began slowly to rebuild its Army and Navy. Germany challenged the determination of the Allies by seizing territory lost during World War I. Initially, the Allies attempted to negotiate and appease Hitler and the German people. Despite the efforts of the League of Nations and Great Britain’s Neville Chamberlain, a second conflict erupted when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. France and Great Britain were thrust immediately into the conflict, but the United States remained neutral, following a policy of isolationism. The factors of militarism, alliances, nationalism, imperialism, and appeasement ultimately resulted in this second world war.
b. Describe the cultural developments and individual contributions in the 1920s of the Jazz Age (Louis Armstrong), the Harlem Renaissance (Langston Hughes), baseball (Babe Ruth), the automobile (Henry Ford), and transatlantic flight (Charles Lindbergh).
I can describe the Jazz Age as a cultural development of the 1920's. (Knowledge)
I can identify Louis Armstrong and describe his contributions to the Jazz Age in the 1920's(Knowledge)
I can identify Langston Hughes and can describe his contributions to the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920's.
I can identify Babe Ruth and can describe his contributions to baseball in the 1920s. (Knowledge)
I can identify Henry Ford and can describe his contributions to the automobile industry in the 1920s. (Knowledge)
I can identify Charles Lindbergh and can describe his contributions to transatlantic flight in the 1920s. (Knowledge)
Louis Armstrong is known as one of the most famous Jazz Musicians in history during the 1920’s. From a New Orleans boys’ home to Hollywood, Carnegie Hall, and television, the tale of Louis Armstrong’s life and triumphant six-decade career epitomizes the American success story. His trumpet playing revolutionized the world of music, and he became one of our century’s most recognized and best loved entertainers.
Babe Ruth was a popular baseball player. His 714 homeruns stood as a record until 1974, when Atlanta Brave, Hank Aaron finally broke it. The Babe helped save baseball from the ugly Black Sox scandal, and gave hope to millions during The Great Depression. He impacted the game in a way never seen before, or since. He continues to be the benchmark by which all other players are measured. Despite retiring from the game in 1935, Babe is still to this day widely considered the greatest player in Major League Baseball history.
Langston Hughes (1901-67) left his home in the south to move to the north because a culture was developing in the north that celebrated African-American life through music, art, poetry and stories. He was a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance in New York in the 1920s. He was famous for his poems and stories about black life in America. Langston Hughes was recognized as one of America’s greatest poets and was a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Over the course of a varied career he was a novelist, playwright, social activist, and journalist, but it is for his poetry that Hughes is now best-remembered.
Invention of the Radio
Invention of the Radio
The invention of the radio by Guglielmo Marconi helped accentuate an already booming economy during the 1920s, for historical figures such as Louis Armstrong and Babe Ruth. The radio introduced new musical styles and unheard of musicians to Americans across the country. Louis Armstrong and many others became famous after having their music played on the radio.
The Harlem Renaissance was an important movement among the African American community. It involved black writers and artists. It was named for the mostly black community where it began. Louis Armstring and Langston Hughes gave recognition to African Americans during the Harlem Renaissance.
History of Jazz
History of Jazz
People in the United States wanted to celebrate the wealth gained during World War I, which inspired them to create new music, art, poetry and stories.
Charles Lindburg was the first person in history to fly a solo flight nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927 aboard a plane called the Spirit of St. Louis. Lindbergh made aeronautical history just a few weeks prior to the honor by flying solo and nonstop flight across the Atlantic.
Henry Ford introduced the idea of mass producing cars and introduced a new kind of assembly line. Made the Model T affordable for many. Ford made automobiles affordable for the working class with the assembly line. Cars changed the way people lived, worked, and enjoyed leisure time; however, what most people don’t realize is that the process of manufacturing automobiles had an equally significant impact on the industry. The creation of the assembly line by Henry Ford at his Highland Park plant, introduced on December 1, 1913, revolutionized the automobile industry and the concept of manufacturing worldwide.
With the invention of the assembly line and the mass production of automobiles, Henry Ford changed American society. Not only did Ford create an industry that helped bolster the American economy, he created a mode of transportation that literally moved people out of their natural environments. The automobile allowed people to venture further away from home, either for work or entertainment. Although Charles Lindbergh did not invent aviation, he did develop an airplane that would carry him across the Atlantic Ocean. The ability to fly across the ocean in a short amount of time would truly change American society in the future. Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight inspired many Americans.
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