The Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) gave the British government wide-ranging powers during World War 1 to control many aspects of everyday life that could impact the war effort. It introduced laws like rationing, curfews for immigrants, censorship of newspapers and letters, and bans on activities like ringing church bells. Many people opposed DORA for being an overreach of government power and limiting personal freedoms. Critics argued laws like censorship and curfews went too far or didn't truly contribute to winning the war.
2. Today’s lesson
We are consolidating our knowledge and understanding of
the impact of the Defence of the Realm Act.
By the end of today’s lesson I should be able to:
1) Describe the rules and laws which were introduced as part of
DORA.
2) Explain why some people were unhappy with these laws.
Today’s lesson involves:
Note taking
Class Discussion
Whiteboard task
3. Defence of the Realm Act
Four days after Britain joined the Great War in August 1914, the UK
Government passed a law to give them powers over various issues this was
the Defence of Realm Act. (DORA).
The purpose of DORA was to give the British Government control of all issues
they felt were needed to help win the war. As the war progressed the
Government added other rules to DORA.
What issues do you think were needed to help win the war?
The Government introduced punishments for anyone who broke the DORA
rules. Depending on the severity of the crime, people could be given a fine,
sent to prison or even executed. 11 foreign spies were executed under DORA
including Carl Lody who was a German caught sending letters from his home
in Edinburgh to Berlin.
4. Discussion Points
Do you think it is right to restrict people’s freedoms
to help the war effort?
What does censorship mean and why might it have
been useful to the British Government?
5. Task 1 – Source Roundtable
Each row has a pack of four primary sources. For each source you must
read the source and answer the question(s) below. You have 3-4
minutes per source. Primary sources are on slides 18-22
You can access them on your iPad
1) What law did DORA bring in?
2) What do you think the impact of this law was?
6. Laws under DORA
Rationing – limited amount of food.
Immigrants had a curfew and had to stay in their houses.
Farming – The Government could take any land they wanted of
farming.
7. Other DORA laws
DORA severely restricted people’s individual freedoms, they could not loiter under
tunnels or bridges and some people even faced a curfew.
Newspapers and military letters were censored to ensure that no anti-war
messaging was shown. Invisible ink was also banned.
People had to be careful around public buildings, for example in 1915 Mona Jeffrey
was arrested after taking a picture of the Forth Rail Bridge. Her punishment was
that her camera was confiscated.
In May 1916 DORA was used to allow the Government to set the time to give as
much daylight hours as possible to work. This is why the clocks change every year.
Ringing church bells, bonfire lighting were banned to stop attracting Zeppelins the
sale of binoculars was also not allowed.
Pubs had to close early and water down their alcohol to make it weaker. People
were also not allowed to buy rounds in pubs.
It was illegal to use spare food to feed animals.
8. Task 2 – Laws introduction under DORA
In front of you is a A3 grid showing a list of laws introduced under
DORA for each law you must write down why do you think the
Government introduced this law.
You also have a section about how people responded to the
law/successful. You will fill out that section tomorrow.
9. Law introduced under DORA Why do you think the Government
introduced this law?
How did the population react to this
law?
Military can use any land they want for defence
purposes.
Male immigrants from other countries had be
placed under curfew between 9PM – 5AM.
You cannot speak out against the war or DORA.
Newspapers were censored to ensure that there
was no anti-war views.
Letters from the trenches were read and
censored. Invisible ink was banned.
Ringing of Church bells and bonfires were
banned.
The Government introduced this law to stop
attracting Zeppelins which would bomb certain
areas as they did in Edinburgh in 1916.
Pubs had to close early and alcohol was
weakened.
You could waste food on feeding animals.
10. Task
Complete Column 1 of your grid and answer the following extension
questions:
1) Is there any DORA law which you think is unfair? Why?
2) Is there any DORA law which you think is justified? Why?
11. Task 2
Together we are going to go through some information about the
reaction to the Defense of the Realm Act. Using this information you
must complete your grid you started last lesson.
12. Criticisms of DORA
Many people opposed DORA when it was introduced.
Many believed that it gave the Government too much power and were
angry that the Government was impacting on their personal freedoms.
People with anti-war views were any that they could not share these
views in public, stopping them getting more supporters. Socialist
figures such as John MacLean continued to speak against the war.
People were also worried if the Government restricted where they
could go and what they could do, they would not want to give up this
amount of power.
13. Criticisms of DORA
People who enjoyed activities such as kite-flying or ringing the bells at
Church did not believe that doing this things would stop Britain winning
the war. (6)
People believed that DORA stopped people’s free time. They could not
get as drunk at the pub due to the weak beer and curfew on pubs. (7)
Soldiers could not share private information with those close to them
without someone reading the letter first they were not happy (5)
Censoring newspapers meant that people were not sure whether or
not they were getting told the truth, so they did not know if Britain was
losing the war or not. (4)
14. Discussion Point
Do you think DORA should have been introduced? Give
reasons to support your answer.
15. Exam style question
Source A is from a textbook by a Modern Historian written in 1984.
Evaluate the usefulness of Source A as evidence of Government control of everyday life in
Britain during the war.
In August 1914, Parliament passed the Defence of the Realm Act. This allowed
the Government to introduce whatever restrictions were necessary to protect
the country during wartime. British Summer Time was introduced to give more
daylight working hours. Pub opening hours were prevented drunkenness.
People who believed, in 1914, that life in Britain would not be affected much
were quickly proved wrong. High casualties on the Western Front led to
conscription, forcing unmarried men between 18-41 to join the armed forces.
Source A is partly useful as evidence of Government control of everyday life in Britain during WW1.
