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Caption: Encoded telegram and translation
The capture and translation of the Zimmermann telegram was one of the events that ended the neutrality position of the
United States during World War I. This telegram was written by the German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to
the German ambassador in Mexico. It was intercepted and decoded by the British in January 1917. The British
presented the decoded message to President Woodrow Wilson on February 24, 1917, and American newspapers
published it on March 1. It revealed Germany's intention to resume submarine warfare, suggested that Mexico ally with
Germany, convince Japan to join Germany, and promised somewhat vaguely that Mexico would regain territories lost
to the United States in return for their cooperation. American opinion was immediate outrage, and in just over a
month's time, the United States declared war on Germany and her allies and joined World War I.
1. This document is a _________.
A. journal entry
B. photograph
C. binding contract
D. telegram
2. The document was written
A. during World War I.
B. by a math teacher.
C. after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
D. by a Russian spy.
3. Who was this message from?
A. the Mexicans
B. the British
C. the Germans
D. the Americans
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4. Why does the original document have just numbers on it?
A. It is written in a secret code.
B. The numbers are phone numbers.
C. It is a math assignment.
D. It contains locations identified by latitude and longitude.
5. Arthur Zimmermann was the German Foreign Minister. What position in the United States government do
you think this compares to?
6. The telegram says that Germany hopes that the United States remains neutral. What did Zimmermann
propose to Mexico in case the U.S. did not remain neutral?
7. What other country did Germany want Mexico to invite to join them?
8. Why would a German alliance with Mexico have been an advantage to Germany?
9. This document was a major cause of the United States joining World War I. What important information
was contained in this message that was valuable to Great Britain and the rest of the European countries
already involved in the war? What made Americans angry?
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10. What do you think would have happened if this telegram had not been intercepted and translated? Does the
proposal made by Germany to Mexico seem reasonable to you? Do you think Mexico would have
considered this proposal? Why or why not?
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Sow the Seeds of Victory
During World War I, President Woodrow Wilson created a government agency to assure the supply, distribution, and
conservation of food during the war. Herbert Hoover was chosen to head this agency, the U.S. Food Administration.
They wanted people to voluntarily conserve food out of patriotism rather than because it was mandated. The object of
the Food Administration was to increase production by farmers, promote conservation through patriotism and increased
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awareness, and prevent hoarding of food items. This program was very successful. Herbert Hoover would not take a
salary, because he felt that he could then ask Americans to also sacrifice. Even President Woodrow Wilson did his part
by grazing sheep on the White House lawn.
1. This document is a _________.
A. photograph
B. journal entry
C. binding contract
D. poster
2. What is the woman in the document doing?
A. dreaming
B. hiking
C. feeding the birds
D. sowing seeds
3. What does this document urge people to do?
A. join the army
B. become farmers
C. grow their own fruits and vegetables
D. write a book
4. Where can people get more information about growing their own food?
A. They can write to Herbert Hoover.
B. They can write to the National War Garden Commission.
C. They can call the president.
D. They can call the woman on the poster.
5. How did Herbert Hoover show that he was willing to do his part in the food conservation effort?
6. How would it help soldiers overseas to grow home gardens?
7. Why is the woman dressed in an American flag-like outfit?
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8. What can people learn from the U.S. government pamphlet about gardening?
9. Look up the word "munition." What does the sentence at the bottom of the poster mean? How is a garden
like a munition plant?
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10. Food conservation was one way that people on the home front were asked to help the war effort. What were
some other ways they were asked to help?
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1. This document can best be described as a(n)_____.
A. creed
B. advertisement
C. newspaper article
D. statement of faith
2. What article of the Constitution is cited in this document?
A. X
B. II
C. IV
D. Both A&C are correct
3. How many times is the Preamble to the Constitution cited?
A. 4
B. 3
C. 2
D. 1
4. When was this document created?
A. 1981
B. 1991
C. 1941
D. 1918
5. What is the primary purpose of this document?
6. According to this document, what are a patriot's five duties?
7. What war would the war stamps sold at this time have supported?
8. According to the Declaration of Independence, from where are the powers of the government derived?
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9. Do you think such a document could or would circulate today? Should it? Is there such a thing as a
modern-day patriot? How has the notion of patriotism changed since the creation of this document?
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10. What is the primary purpose of this document? What are the secondary purposes? Do you think that it was
successful in achieving these goals? In answering this question, keep in mind the historical circumstances in
which this document was circulated.
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Armistice Day Peace Celebration, 1918
Image of a line of young boys carrying instruments and American flags, led by a boy with a broom, walking down
South Michigan Avenue during the Armistice Day peace celebration parade in the Loop community area of Chicago,
Illinois. This photo-negative taken by a Chicago Daily News photographer may have been published in the newspaper.
1. This document is a _____.
A. watercolor painting
B. political cartoon
C. photograph
D. photo-negative
2. This document was created during which century?
A. Eighteenth
B. Nineteenth
C. Twentieth
D. Twenty-first
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3. This document was created by a photographer from which paper?
A. Chicago Post
B. New York Times
C. Chicago Times
D. Chicago Daily News
4. Armistice Day celebrated the end of which war?
A. WWI
B. the Civil War
C. WWII
D. WWIII
5. In what year was this document created?
6. Why are the boys in the picture jubilant?
7. Name three things the boys in the picture are carrying.
8. Do we still celebrate Armistice Day today?
9. Pick two major figures from the war in question. Discuss their roles in the war. What happened to them
after the war?
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10. This war is notable for many reasons. Select and discuss two reasons why this war was unlike any war that
had yet been waged in modern history.
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Sign the Pledge
The U.S. Food Administration was formed during World War I to promote public interest in a voluntary food effort.
They wanted people to voluntarily conserve food out of patriotism rather than because it was a law. Herbert Hoover
was appointed by President Wilson as the administrator of the Food Administration. He called for patriotism and
sacrifices that would increase production and decrease food consumption. "Food," Hoover and the administration
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proclaimed, "will win the war." The Food Administration asked all homeowners to sign pledge cards promising to
conserve food. Within a week, Americans were observing wheatless Mondays, and meatless Tuesdays. In some towns,
one hundred percent of the housewives signed the pledge. They developed alternate menus and proudly served
leftovers in their efforts to conserve food for the troops.
1. This document is a _________
A. poster.
B. letter.
C. photograph.
D. book cover.
2. The document is asking people to show patriotism by
A. signing a pledge to save food.
B. cooperating with their neighbors.
C. joining the army.
D. feeding the soldiers.
3. What agency issued this document?
A. the War Department
B. The U.S. Food Administration
C. the Farm Bureau
D. the White House
4. What does the woman in the document appear to be doing?
A. calling her children
B. reaching out to Americans
C. trying to catch something
D. trying to hug someone
5. How is the woman dressed? What is the reason for dressing like this?
6. How did Americans respond to the pledge cards?
7. What food conservation efforts were adopted?
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8. Why was it better if the food effort was voluntary than if laws had to be passed to enforce conservation?
9. How would food conservation by the public help the troops overseas? In what ways were people asked to
conserve?
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10. Food conservation was one way that people on the home front were asked to help the war effort. What were
some other ways they were asked to help?
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Canaries Used in World War I
The canaries depicted in this image were used during World War I to assist soldiers in detecting the presence of poison
gas. Canaries and mice were often sent into enemy areas ahead of U.S. troops in order to make sure that such areas
were free of gas. If the animals survived, the area was deemed safe for the soldiers.
1. What type of animal is pictured in this document?
A. huskies
B. carrier pigeons
C. canaries
D. mice
2. According to this document, during what war was this animal used?
A. the Revolutionary War
B. the Civil War
C. WWI
D. WWII
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3. Approximately how many animals are visible in this document?
A. 4
B. 6
C. 8
D. 2
4. This document was probably created during which decade?
A. the 1940s
B. the 1930s
C. the 1910s
D. the 1920s
5. For what purpose was this animal used during war?
6. What is the man in the document doing?
7. Would this animal be used in the same capacity today? Why or why not?
8. Assuming you didn't know the date of this document's creation, what clues are present in the document as to
its time period?
9. Are animals still used during wartime? In what capacity? How has the role played by animals during
wartime changed from the time this document was created to the present?
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10. What modern-day technology is used for the purpose originally carried out by the animals in this
document? Which method is more efficacious? Why?
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U.S. Army Wireless Operators in San Antonio, Texas during World War I
1. This document can best be described as a(n) _____.
A. newspaper article
B. oil painting
C. photograph
D. charcoal sketch
2. This document was created during which time frame?
A. 1930s
B. 1920s
C. 1940s
D. 1910s
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3. In which city was this document created?
A. Dallas
B. Berlin
C. Houston
D. San Antonio
4. This document depicts a device designed most closely to resemble which modern invention?
A. computer
B. satellite cell phone
C. telegraph
D. telephone
5. During which war was this document created?
6. What name best describes the object depicted in this document?
7. What is the function of the object depicted in this document?
8. The men depicted in this document can be assumed to work for which branch of the U.S. Government?
9. Discuss how the information revolution has changed the way in which war is fought
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10. Use your imagination: what else could the object depicted in this document be?
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U.S. Food Administration Poster 1
The U.S. Food Administration was formed during World War I to promote public interest in a voluntary food effort.
They wanted people to voluntarily conserve food out of patriotism rather than because it was mandated. Herbert
Hoover, the head of the Food Administration, would not take a salary, because he felt that he could then ask Americans
to also sacrifice. Even President Woodrow Wilson did his part by grazing sheep on the White House lawn.
27. Name Date
1. This document is a _________
A. letter.
B. poster.
C. photograph.
D. book cover.
2. The document is asking people to
A. cooperate with their neighbors.
B. help the war effort by saving food.
C. join the army.
D. move to the city.
3. What American landmark appears in this picture?
A. Mount Rushmore
B. Old Faithful
C. the Grand Canyon
D. The Statue of Liberty
4. What are people being asked to conserve?
A. ammunition
B. wheat
C. coffee
D. milk
5. What is the target group of this poster? How can you tell?
6. What did Hoover hope to accomplish by not accepting a salary for heading up the Food Administration?
7. What in this picture indicates wartime?
8. Why was it better if the food effort was voluntary than if laws had to be passed to enforce conservation?
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9. Hoover, the leader of the Food Administration, would not accept a salary for the job. Explain why he made
this decision, and what he hoped to accomplish.
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10. How would food conservation by the public help the troops overseas? In what ways were people asked to
conserve?
