World War I: Lessons and Legacies
Selling The War
1. In your opinion, what do you think was the most effective strategy for rallying peopleʻs support? Fear? Patriotism? Guilt? What current examples of advertising can you identify that use the same strategies?
​
2. How do you think the advertising success of 100 years ago set the stage for how advertising is done now?
Women In The Great War
1. What do you think it was like for women who joined the war effort? Exciting? Exhausting? Frustrating? Why may have some women seen this as an opportunity?
2. Do any of the inequalities faced by women a century ago still exist today? How might the success of the woman suffrage movement have inspired the fight for womenʻs rights?
A World Transformed
1. How would you describe the national mood after the war? What do you think Americans worried would happened if the U.S became too involved in international affairs?
​
2. Can you think of examples of how the U.S. has become a global player? How might the national interest in isolationism 100 years ago still influence how the U.S. interacts with other countries today?
Over Here
1. In what ways would the lives of people who moved to cities for industrial jobs change? What would have been different about the type of work they did?
​
2. How did the need for more industrial production during the war shape the modern American economy? How did it change where population centers are in the country --- is it the same today?
​
A World Safe for Democracy
1. What rights and freedoms do you think were limited during the war? Which groups of people may have been affected by this?
2. How did the war either spark or increase social tensions in the United States? Why might some have wanted to suppress or ignore movements for civil rights during this time?
3. Can you think of any groups that are fighting for equality today? How might the tense fights for equal rights 100 years ago have set the stage for discussions about democracy today?
Over There
1. What do you think it would have been like to be a soldier in the trenches? What would the experience have been like for those not on the front line, like nurses?
2. In what ways was World War I fought differently than wars of the 19th century? How did advances in technology change how war was fought?
3. How is warfare approached today? What current examples of advanced military technology, weapons, or strategy can you identify?
Medicine and War
1. In what ways did the field of medicine advance during
World War I? How did it become more scientific?
2. Why would war have caused an increase in medical innovations? How might these advancements have benefited both soldiers and the American public?
3. Can you identify any examples of innovative medical practices that are being used today? How do you think the advancements made during World War I helped the field of medicine get to where it is now?
