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 * World War One Propaganda **

On April 6, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson formally declared war against Germany. President Wilson had a dilemma in front of him: how to convince a nation to stand behind America’s entry into the war. Since Wilson was elected the previous fall with the slogan, “He Kept Us Out of War,” he knew that it would be a difficult task to motivate a nation of emigrants, pacifists, and other emphatic citizens. He would need some way to motivate America and to provide them with information that the government wished them to know. Thus, on April 13, 1917, President Wilson signed Executive Order 2594 establishing a Committee on Public Information (CPI) to conduct American propaganda in the United States and overseas. He named the publicist and social reformer George Creel to chair the committee. Creel remarked on his CPI activities as it is “the world’s greatest adventure in advertising.” The committee used various forms of media to influence citizens such as, posters, cartoons, speaking campaigns, war movies, ads in newspapers, and even pamphlets dropped from airplanes overseas. (Schaffer, 1991)

The following primary documents examine the use of propaganda for the war effort; however, I thought it was interesting how woman, children, immigrants, and African Americans were used in the media during World War I. With this in mind, document based questions can be a beneficial way to provide a narrative that could help the reader understand multiple perspectives when studying a new topic. There are five different political cartoons, five unique posters, two primary documents, and six photographs to guide the reader through a better understanding of the propaganda of World War I. The goal with the DBQ’s is to provide an analysis that allows for different levels of thinking. I used a hybrid of different types of questions to walk the reader through a better understanding of the primary documents. For example, in each primary document the goal is to move the reader from levels of recall, to skill and concepts, to strategic thinking, and ultimately to extended thinking. After reviewing the eighteen primary documents and answering the questions (some web research will be required), I am confident that you will be able to develop your own perspective regarding World War I propaganda.

[[image:ww1%20lusitania%20cartoon.jpg]]
//(faculty.umf.maine.edu)// ==
 * Q1. What is the significance of the name of the ship? **
 * Q2. Who is John Bull? **
 * Q3. Why did the artist use this character as a symbol for Great Britain? **
 * Q4. What is the date of the cartoon? **
 * Q5. Investigate when war was formally declared against Germany? **
 * Q6. Analyze the statements made by the two characters, which one doesn't fit? **

==

2. World War I--Editoral Cartoon
==
 * //(theoldentimes.com//)**
 * Q1. What do you see in this cartoon?**
 * Q2. What year do you think this cartoon was published?**
 * Q3. Can you list some of the themes in this cartoon?**
 * Q4. Based on the posture of the person steering the ship, which direction do you think he will choose? Why?**
 * Q5. Compare and contrast between making the choice of war with intervention.**
 * Q6. What do you think the author was trying to convey in this cartoon?**

==

[[image:398px-'DestroyThisMadBrute'-US-poster.jpg]]
//(lrs.utexas.edu)//
 * Q1. What is "kultur?"**
 * Q2. Discuss what you think is going on in this poster?**
 * Q3. What kind of emotion is this artist trying to employ with the audience?**
 * Q4. Examine the women in the picture. Why is she holding one hand over her eyes while the other hand holds the side of her head?**
 * Q5. Evaluate how the audience of the time would have reacted to this poster.**
 * Q6. Critique the use of nudity in this poster. Do you think it was necessary?**

[[image:wilson_dec_of_war_1.jpg width="720" height="1116" caption="click to view the rest of the document" link="@pages 2 to 7 of document"]]

 * (docsteach.org) **

** Q1. When was this document produced? ** ** Q2. What is meant by an alien enemy? ** ** Q3. On page 5 of the document, interpret what is meant by regulation number five. ** ** Q4. Can you determine the intended audience for this document? ** ** Q5. Evaluate the historical significance of this document. **
 * Q6. Analyze the use of the term "alien enemy" throughout the document. **

** ﻿ **
(archives.gov)


 * Q1. What date did President Wilson create Executive Order 2594? **
 * Q2. What is the time frame between war being declared with Germany and the Executive Order 2594? **
 * Q3. How many committees are apart of the Committee of Public Information? **
 * Q4. Compare the two documents, how can the Division of Four-Minute Men operate so conservatively? **
 * Q5. Judging from the letter dated January 11, 1918, was President Wilson pleased with his decision to appoint George Creel as chairman of the committee? **
 * Q6. Evaluate the letter dated January 7, 1918, what is meant that the Committee of Public Information has grown to be a world organization? **

**6. World War I --Poster**
(allposters.com)


 * Q1. What do you see in this poster? **
 * Q2. Describe the facial expression of the lady in the poster. **
 * Q3. Who is the artist trying to convince to enlist in the Navy? **
 * Q4. Why do you think the artist used a woman in this poster? **
 * Q5. Compare the statement that the lady is saying with the call to action in the poster. Do you think it was effective? **
 * Q6. Would this kind of statement work in today's society? **

[[image:food_admin_sign_in_balt_mary.jpg]]
(docsteach.org)

==
 * Q1. What do you see in this photograph?**
 * Q2. What does the billboard say?**
 * Q3. What kind of building do you think this could be?**
 * Q4. What do you see in the lower left hand corner of the photo? Does this seem odd?**
 * Q5. What do you think the woman is doing at the bottom of the photograph?**
 * Q6. Who do you think took this photo?**
 * Q7. Do you think a billboard such as this one is effective to preserve food?**

==

8. World War I--Photograph
(docsteach.org)


 * Q1. What do you see in this picture? **
 * Q2. What is the message of the boat? **
 * Q3. Who do you think this message is aimed at? **
 * Q4. What do you think the boy’s facial expression is trying to convey? **
 * Q5. Do you think this method would have been effective? **
 * Q6. Do you think this type of message would work today? **

==

9. World War I--Photograph
(docsteach.org)
 * Q1. What are these boys doing in this photo?**
 * Q2. What is the mood of the photo?**
 * Q3. Judging from the various facial expressions, do you think the boys are enjoying themselves?**
 * Q4. What do you think this photograph would have been used for?**
 * Q5. Do you think these boys were proud to do their part in the war effort?**
 * Q6. How do you think the audience of the time would have reacted to seeing this photo?**

10. World War I--Photograph
(docsteach.org)

==
 * Q1. What do you think is going on in this photograph? **
 * Q2. What is the mood of the photo? **
 * Q3. What do you think the two players in the center are talking about? **
 * Q4. Who do you think is taking this photograph and for what purpose? **
 * Q5. Why do you think the gentleman holding the flag is in the picture? **
 * Q6. Evaluate the poster of some of the players. Do they appear comfortable? **
 * Q7. Does there appear to be any racial tension? Explain your answer. **

==

**11. World War I--Editoral Cartoon**
([|www.loc.gov])

==
 * Q1. What do you think is going on in this cartoon? **
 * Q2. What point is the artist trying to make? **
 * Q3. Who do you think the bags are from? **
 * Q4. What do you think the hat that says "capital" means? **
 * Q5. Analyze some of the themes and symbols in this cartoon. **
 * Q6. Do you think this is an effective cartoon? **

==

**12. World War I--Editoral Cartoon**


//(Words That Won Wars, Mock & Larson)//
 * Q1. What is happening in this cartoon? **
 * Q2. What is the message of the artist? **
 * Q3. What is the soldier doing with the shovel? **
 * Q4. What kind of weather is the artist trying to portray? **
 * Q5. What do you think the two soldiers shooting their rifles are thinking? **
 * Q6. What does the artist hope the audience will do? **

==

**13. World War I--Editoral Cartoon**
(nishi.slv.vic.gov.au)


 * Q1. What do you notice in this cartoon? **
 * Q2. What does "Deutschland uber alles" mean? **
 * Q3. What does "kultur" mean? **
 * Q4. What is the woman trying to do to the earth. **
 * Q5. What do you think the bugle symbolizes? **
 * Q6. Analyze the title of the cartoon "Peace on Earth" with what you see in the cartoon. What do you think the artist was trying to say? **

==

**14. World War I --Poster**
(digital.library.unt.edu)


 * Q1. Describe what you see in this poster. **
 * Q2. What does the woman's facial expression say? **
 * Q3. What do you think her outstretched hand symbolize? **
 * Q4. What is the message that is being delivered by the artist? **
 * Q5. Assess if you think this poster would have been effective? **
 * Q6. Who do you think is the intended audience for this poster? **

==

==

**15. World War I --Poster**
(mainememory.net)


 * Q1. What is going on in this poster? **
 * Q2. Describe the soldiers in the bottom right corner. **
 * Q3. What is the woman doing in this poster? **
 * Q4. Why do you think the artist used a woman to make his point? **
 * Q5. What are some of the symbols used in this poster? **
 * Q6. Do you think this would be an effective poster today? **==

**16. World War I --Poster**
//(authentichistory.com)//
 * Q1. What is the symbol portrayed in this poster? **
 * Q2. Describe the main colors in this poster. What do they mean? **
 * Q3. What does the Government hope the audience will do? **
 * Q4. Analyze the posture of Lady Liberty. **
 * Q5. Compare and contrast what you think of Lady Liberty with what they artist is trying to portray. **
 * Q6. Critique the posters effectiveness. **

17. World War I--Photograph
(docsteach.org)

==
 * Q1. What are these women doing in this photograph? **
 * Q2. Who is the woman overlooking the woman sowing the flag? **
 * Q3. Who do you think this photograph would appeal to? **
 * Q4. Look at the second woman from the right. What is she looking at? **
 * Q5. These women were born in Hungary, Galicia, Russia, Germany, and Romania. Why do you think this picture was taken? **
 * Q6. Do you think knowing who these woman are changes the meaning of the photograph? **

==

[[image:kaiser_wilson.jpg]]
//(docsteach.org)// **Q1. Why is this woman holding this poster? ** **Q2. What do you notice about her demeanor? ** **Q3. Why does she compare Kaiser to Wilson? ** **Q4. Many women suffragists marched demonstrated in front of the White House to try to convince President Wilson to reverse his opposition to a federal amendment. What do you think President Wilson and the CPI thought about these demonstrations? ** **Q5. What is meant by "take the beam out of you own eye?" ** **Q6. Analyze what you think would have happened to this woman during wartime? **

1. Schaffer, R (1991) America in the Great War: The Rise of the War-Welfare State. NY. Oxford University Press. 2. Larson & Mock (1939) Words That Won the War: The Story of the Committee on Public Information. NJ. Princeton University Press. 3. [|www.faculty.umf.maine.edu] 4. [|www.theoldentimes.com] 5. [|www.lrs.utexas.edu] 6. [|www.docsteach.org] 7. [|www.archives.gov] 8. [|www.allposters.com] 9. [|www.loc.gov] 10. [|www.mainememory.net] 11. [|www.authentichistory.com]