The Artios Home Companion Series
Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points
Teacher Overview
“The Great War,” also known as World War I began in 1914 with the assassination of
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. After Austrian demands were not met, Austria
declared war on Serbia and suddenly many of the great alliances between various
European nations were called into action. This war, which was called “the war to end all
wars” demanded much of the United States when it joined the fight. American men were
drafted into the army, U.S. farms and factories sped up production, American families
were asked to conserve and do with less, and weapons were sent to help Britain and France
fend of German attacks. When the war was over, the face of Europe had changed. No one
wanted a war like this ever again. President Woodrow Wilson put forth a proposal called
the “Fourteen Points.” He wanted to make sure a world war never took place again. Much
of the “Fourteen Points” were never approved. However, his idea for a League of Nations,
an organization formed to maintain world peace, was included in the Treaty of Versailles.
The United States never approved the League of Nations and ultimately it proved
unsuccessful in its efforts to prevent aggression between nations.
Clockwise from the top: The aftermath of shelling during the Battle of the Somme, Mark V tanks cross
the Hindenberg Line, HMS Irresistible sinks after hitting a mine in the Dardanelles, a British Vickers
machine gun crew wears gas masks during the Battle of the Somme, Albatros D.III fighters of Jagdstaffel 11
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Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points - Page 1
R e a d i n g a n d A s s i g nm e nt s
Based on your student’s age and ability, the reading in this unit may be read aloud to the
student and journaling and notebook pages may be completed orally. Likewise, other
assignments can be done with an appropriate combination of independent and guided study.
In this unit, students will:
 Complete two lessons in which they will learn about World War I and Wilson’s
Fourteen Points.
 Define vocabulary words.
 Read selected chapters from Bud, Not Buddy.
 Complete literature assignments including writing a paragraph using sensory
descriptions.
 Learn about Capitalization and complete corresponding grammar exercises.
 Visit www. ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.
L e a di ng I de a s
The Bible provides the ethics upon which to judge people and nations.
— Exodus 20:1-17
God is sovereign over the affairs of men.
From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he
marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
— Acts 17:26
V o c a bu l a r y
Lesson 1:
armistice
Lesson 2:
self-determination
K e y Pe o pl e a n d E v e nt s
President Woodrow Wilson
“The Great War”
World War I
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Gavrilo Princip
Triple Entente
Central Powers
Western Front
Eastern Front
Veterans Day
Treaty of Versailles
The Fourteen Points
League of Nations
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Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points - Page 2
Literature, Composition, and Grammar
Bud, Not Buddy
by Christopher Paul Curtis
Literature for Units 15 - 19
Curtis' family has a rich history, including positions of influence in areas of social change.
These experiences inspired his writing of this story, and his others, as well. This story follows
the life of a 10-year-old boy who is on the run during the Great Depression. While he may be
motherless and lacking in material things, Bud does have a few special items that he carries
with him. As you read through this book, you will be introduced to photographs that are
representative of the Great Depression. You will learn specific ways that you can improve
your writing by adding descriptive elements.
U ni t Fo c u s
In this unit, we will read Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis while exploring the
life of children during the Great Depression. In this unit we will examine and explore various
photographs taken during this time period and practice writing descriptively.
Be S ur e t o N o t i c e …
This book has won both the Newbery Medal, the Coretta Scott King Award, and many
other honors as well. You can find an excellent audio version of this book from the Listening
Library. You will also find an interesting "conversation" with the author at the back of this
book that will help you to better understand this author's intentions in writing this book.
If you chose to follow along with this optional American Tall Tales study, this unit's focus
should be on Johnny Appleseed.
For this unit you will need access to a computer with PowerPoint or similar capabilities.
Optional supplemental texts that you may choose to use as you read Bud, Not Buddy are The
Dust Bowl by David Booth (picture book), and Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (blank verse).
C o nt e x t R e s o ur c e s
You will find additional context resources within the Resources section of the Artios
Home Companion website. Be sure to take time to explore the links and activities to help
further your understanding. While this book follows the fictional story of a young boy's
experience of the Great Depression, there are millions of other people who were also
experiencing the devastation of this era. Within the Resources section you will find links to
the written accounts of others, as well as some additional ways to explore life during the
Depression. Don't forget to try out some of the Literature Projects in the Resources as a way
to enhance your experience of this time.
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Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points - Page 3
U ni t 1 5 - A s s i g n m e nt s
Literature
 Begin by completing an author profile for Christopher Paul Curtis. You will find an
Author Profile Page within the Resources section of the website. You can find
information about the author through various Internet sources, as well as on the book
itself. Make sure you get a parent’s permission before accessing the Internet.
 Read Chapters 1 - 4 of Bud, Not Buddy.
As you're reading these chapters, discuss how life for a foster child might have been different
during the 1930s than today.
Composition
Descriptive writing is a type of writing in which a person, place, thing, or event is
described in a way that allows the reader to experience it fully, almost creating a picture in the
reader's mind.
 Read the following two paragraphs, and notice how the first paragraph is telling the story,
but the second paragraph is showing.
I was so excited to play my first game of laser tag. I was also a little nervous,
but my friend James had told me how much fun it was. The attendant explained the
rules and put the vest on me. I held onto my gun as the door to the laser tag arena
opened, and I hoped that it would be as fun as I had imagined.
As we walked up to the glass doors of the laser tag, I could feel my heart
beginning to thump in my chest. I glanced over at my friend James nervously, and he
gave me a grin as giant as a Cheshire cat. The young attendant read the list of rules
to us in a monotonous voice, and then she slid the heavy, padded vest over my head
and tightened the buckle around my waist. It smelled as sweaty as my used gym
socks. She lifted the metal door that separated us from the laser tag arena, and a
blast of cold air hit us like a slap in the face. I could almost taste the blueberry
oatmeal I had eaten earlier as it rose up the back of my throat. I took a deep breath,
gripped my bulky, flashing gun with the power of a thousand ninjas, and burst
through the door, screaming wildly with my buddy.
Could you hear the differences? Could you almost see this second scene in your head? The
second, descriptive paragraph used many details that included senses, describing words, and
strong action words. These are elements that a writer uses to make his writing come to life.
 For each of the next few weeks, we will be learning different ways to help your writing
come to life by describing different images shown by various photographs set during the
Great Depression. This week, you will focus on using "sensory descriptions," or those that
rely upon your senses of smell, sight, hearing, taste, and touch. After viewing "Great
Depression Image 1" in the Resources section of the website, write a paragraph or two
about what you imagine is happening in the picture. Make sure to include descriptions
that use your five senses.
 You will find some extra resources on writing with your senses in the Resources section.
 After you have finished your paragraph, share it with a parent or classmate, and have
them share feedback with you. Look for places in which you can add more detail, and
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then edit and write a final draft. Once you have finished this draft, begin creating a
PowerPoint presentation. On your first slide, copy and insert the "Great Depression
Image 1." On your second slide, add your descriptive writing. You will find a tutorial for
using PowerPoint within the Resources if you need some extra help. Add some
creativity to your slides if you'd like. Alternately, you might enjoy creating a Prezi
(www.prezi.com). Younger elementary students may prefer to present their images and
writing in a book or journal format instead.
Grammar
 Read the notes on Capitalization, beginning on page 5.
 Complete the corresponding exercises on the Artios Home Companion website.
 Add the buzzword “capitalize” to your “cheat sheet.”
Grammar Notes for Unit 15
U sed
by
pe r mi ssi o n:
w ww . an al y t i c al gr a m m ar. co m
Capitalization
my friend sarah goes to crabtree valley mall every sunday.
Does the sentence above look a little weird? Why? You’re right! Nothing is capitalized as it
should be. We use capital letters to signal our readers that a new sentence has begun or that
what they’re reading is the actual name of something.
Hopefully you know by now that you put a capital letter at the beginning of a new sentence.
You most likely capitalize your name, too, don’t you? See? You’re ahead of the game!
There are different reasons we capitalize, so we’ll give a series of examples. Here are two more
symbols you’ll need to know for copy-editing:
Description of Edit:
With Copy Edit Symbols:
Corrected Text:
change to an upper-case letter
U nited states
the blu e Car
U ni ted States
the blu e car
change to a lower-case letter
Buzzword: Capitalize
A. Capitalize the names of people and places. If a person has a title, that gets capitalized
too if it comes before their name.
People:
Erin
Mrs. Karl
President Reagan
Places:
Italy
Main Street
First Baptist Church
North Carolina
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Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points - Page 5
B. Capitalize proper adjectives. When you make an adjective out of a proper noun,
capitalize it.
Greek theater
Mrs. Karl’s shoes
Italian meal
C. Capitalize brand names of products.
Generic Name (don’t capitalize)
tissue
photocopier
car
Brand Name (capitalize)
Kleenex
Xerox
Toyota
D. Capitalize all the words in the titles of books, songs, news articles, etc., EXCEPT
prepositions, articles, and conjunctions.
Gone with the Wind
Pride and Prejudice
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
“Running the Right Way”
E. Capitalize the names of races, nationalities, and religions.
Races:
Indian
Asian
Irish
American
Nationalities: Americans
European Israeli
Religions:
Catholic
Buddhist
a Seventh-day Adventist
F. Capitalize the days of the week and the months of the year.
Monday
January
March
Tuesday
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Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points - Page 6
Lesson One
History Overview and Assignments
“The War to End All Wars”
When World War I began, it was not called as such because no one ever expected other
world wars to occur. Instead it was called “The Great War.” When the war was over,
Europe looked very different from the way it had before the war began. Four empires German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian - had ceased to exist, and the lands
within their regions were divided into new nations. Some nations had become independent
and many cities and regions had been destroyed.
R e a d i n g a n d A s s i g nm e nt s
Title page of The War That Will End War by Wells.
In later years, the term became associated\
with Woodrow Wilson, despite the fact
that Wilson used the phrase only once.
Along with the phrase "make the world
safe for democracy,” it embodied Wilson's
conviction that America's entry into the war
was necessary to preserve human freedom
 Read the article: “The War to End All
Wars”, pages 8-11.
 Define the vocabulary word in the
context of the reading and put the
word and its definition in the
vocabulary section of your notebook.
 After reading the article, summarize
the story you read by either:
▪ Retelling it out loud to your
teacher or parent.
OR
▪ Completing an appropriate
notebook page.
Either way, be sure to include the
answers to the discussion questions
and an overview of key people, dates,
and events in your summary.
 Be sure to visit
www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional
resources.
V o c a bu l a r y
armistice
K e y Pe o pl e a n d E v e nt s
President Woodrow Wilson
“The Great War”
World War I
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Gavrilo Princip
Triple Entente
Central Powers
Western Front
Eastern Front
Veterans Day
Treaty of Versailles
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Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points - Page 7
D i s c us s i o n Que s t i o ns
1. What was the cause of the start of
World War I?
7. How did the American public
participate in the war effort?
2. Who was Archduke Franz Ferdinand?
3. Who was Gavrilo Princip?
8. What is the history of Veterans Day in
the United States?
4. What countries were part of the Triple
Entente?
9. How had Europe changed once the war
was over?
5. What countries were part of the Central
Powers?
10. What is the importance of the Treaty of
Versailles?
6. What type of warfare was used in World
War I?
“The War to End All Wars”
by Mary E. Hall, MPA
When America entered World War I in
1917, a new chapter opened in her history.
Breaking out from her comfortable nest of
isolationism, she took a firm stance against
the imperialism that was running rampant
through Europe, and boldly threw her
efforts and resources into the battle.
The war, of course, was not called
World War I when it was fought (since no
other world wars were expected at that
time), but was called “The Great War.”
The war had officially begun in 1914,
when Archduke Franz Ferdinand of
Austria, the crown prince of AustriaHungary, was shot and killed by a Yugoslav
nationalist named Gavrilo Princip, whose
underground group sought freedom from
Austria to join with its enemy, Serbia.
Austria, after issuing several harsh
demands, declared war on Serbia.
Great alliances, forged over the
previous century to keep peace while the
European nations raced against each other
to colonize and build wealth, were now
called into action. Russia sprang to the
defense of Serbia and sent forces to the
German border, assuming Germany would
side with Austria. France mobilized to help
Russia, and Britain came to the aid of
France. Germany, which had long planned
for conflict, declared war on Russia and
invaded Belgium and Luxembourg while
heading toward France.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand with his wife Sophie,
Duchess of Hohenberg, and their three children
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Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points - Page 8
little ground was gained by either side until
the end of the war. Millions of soldiers
were killed.
Gavrilo Princip, assassin of Archduke Ferdinand
Before long a formal alliance called the
Triple Entente (meaning “friendship”)
formed between Russia, France, and Great
Britain. Later this group grew and became
the European Allies. Meanwhile, another
group of nations, which called themselves
the Central Powers, developed between
Germany and Austria-Hungary.
A German trench in the Western Front occupied by
British troops during the Battle of the Somme, 1916.
On the Eastern Front, the fighting
moved from one place to another. Russia,
able to mobilize quickly, was successful
until Germany stopped its invasion of
eastern Prussia in 1914. After this, the
Russians were beaten back for the rest of
the war. Near the end of the war, Russia’s
government was overthrown by a
revolution.
Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm II, Austria's Kaiser and
Hungary's King Franz Joseph, the Ottoman Empire's
Sultan Mehmed V, Bulgaria's Tsar Ferdinand:
The leaders of the Quadruple Alliance.
Called “the war to end all wars,” World
War I was long, hard, and brutal. Most of
the battles were fought along a line of
trenches and dugouts called the Western
Front, which stretched across Europe for
400 miles. Despite fierce fighting and
advances in battle resources (such as
bomber planes and zeppelin airships, as
well as poison gas used by the Germans),
Royal Air Force Sopwith Camel
The Ottoman Empire joined the Central
Powers in 1914. Italy and Bulgaria entered
the war in 1915, and America, outraged by
Germany’s sinking of merchant ships,
finally joined in 1917.
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Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points - Page 9
Victory Way at the New York Central Railroad,
showing a pyramid of captured German helmets,
with Grand Central Terminal in the background.
Photo taken in 1918
The U.S. Joins the War
At first America couldn’t do much more
than offer funds and equipment. Then,
after the army draft multiplied the number
of soldiers, the U.S. was able to send large
numbers of troops, along with
antisubmarine weapons to help Britain and
France fend off relentless German attacks
on the seas. Meanwhile, U.S. farms and
factories sped up production while families
conserved and made do with less, so large
amounts of food and goods could be sent
overseas.
Two American soldiers run toward a bunker
during World War I.
“Weapons for Liberty – U.S.A. Bonds” called on
Boy Scouts to serve just like soldiers did.
Poster by J. C. Leyendecker, 1918.
WWI-era U.S. victory poster.
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Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points - Page 10
Once the U.S. was involved at the
Western Front, the Allies began to see
victory. Arriving at the rate of ten thousand
a day, American soldiers replaced warweary Allied troops faster than the
Germans could replace theirs. They turned
the Germans back in their Spring and
Hundred Days offensives, and finally
forced them to sign an armistice at 11:00
am on November 11, 1918—the “eleventh
hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh
month,” and the war was officially over.
This day is now known as Armistice Day in
much of the world, Remembrance Day in
the British Commonwealth, and Veterans
Day in the U.S.
Aftermath
By the end of the war, the map of
Europe looked very different from the way
it had at the beginning. Four empires German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and
Russian - had ceased to exist, and the lands
within their regions were divided into new
nations. A number of nations had regained
independence, and new ones were created.
Many cities and regions were devastated by
battle, and more than nine million soldiers
were dead.
Armistice Day Celebration in Toronto, Canada, 1918
A state of war formally continued to
exist between the opposing sides for
another seven months, until the Treaty of
Versailles was signed with Germany in
June of 1919. The U.S. did not participate
in this treaty, mainly because she opposed
the League of Nations created by the
agreement, and she did not formally end
her involvement in the war until 1921.
Map of territorial changes in Europe after World War I (as of 1923).
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Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points - Page 11
Lesson Two
History Overview and Assignments
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
In his Fourteen Points, President Woodrow Wilson hoped to lay a foundation that would
prevent any further world wars. However, European powers seemed more intent on
punishing Germany for their aggression. When the Treaty of Versailles was finally signed,
most of Wilson’s Fourteen Points were missing, but the League of Nations was included in
the agreement.
R e a d i n g a n d A s s i g nm e nt s
President Woodrow Wilson, 1912
 Read the article: Wilson’s Fourteen
Points, pages 13-14.
 Define the vocabulary word in the
context of the reading and put the
word and its definition in the
vocabulary section of your notebook.
 After reading the article, summarize
the story you read by either:
▪ Retelling it out loud to your
teacher or parent.
OR
▪ Completing an appropriate
notebook page.
Either way, be sure to include the
answers to the discussion questions
and an overview of key people, dates,
and events in your summary.
 Be sure to visit
www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional
resources.
D i s c us s i o n Que s t i o ns
V o c a bu l a r y
1. What did President Wilson hope to accomplish through
his Fourteen Points?
self-determination
2. What was to be the purpose of the League of Nations?
K e y Pe o pl e a n d
E v e nt s
3. How did Americans react to the idea of a League of
Nations?
4. What was the Treaty of Versailles and how much of
Wilson’s Fourteen Points were included in the treaty?
5. Was the League of Nations successful?
The Great War
President Woodrow Wilson
The Fourteen Points
League of Nations
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Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points - Page 12
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
by Mary E. Hall, MPA
A New World Order
As the world prepared to climb out of
the trenches toward the end of “the Great
War,” President Woodrow Wilson put
forward some ideas about how to prevent
such wars from starting again in the future.
In a speech given to Congress in January of
1918, he presented a proposal for a new
world order. Called the “Fourteen Points,”
Wilson’s plan aimed to eliminate
imperialism by adjusting some country
borders to return lands that had been
conquered, reducing the number and types
of weapons each nation kept, and setting
up a “League of Nations” to settle disputes.
Most importantly, Wilson argued that
people groups should be granted the “right
of self-determination,” meaning that each
nation should be able to choose whatever
form of government it preferred.
Wilson emphasized the need for open
rather than secret agreements between
nations, free navigation upon the seas
(outside of territorial waters), and freedom
in trade, without import or export
restrictions.
The League of Nations
President Wilson’s plan needed the
nations of the world to join together in
agreement on how they would settle future
disputes. His League of Nations would be
the first international organization whose
purpose was to maintain world peace—the
first time nations worked to agree upon a
set of rules to live by. It would not be a
world government, although some feared it
might become so. It would have no army of
its own, but called for nations to come to
the aid of other nations to punish cases of
aggression. It would mainly be a large
defense treaty which would depend upon
the mutual support of its member nations.
"The Big Four" made all the major decisions at the Paris
Peace Conference (from left to right, David Lloyd
George of Britain, Vittorio Orlando of Italy, Georges
Clemenceau of France, Woodrow Wilson of the U.S.)
The Fourteen Points at the
Paris Peace Conference
Once Germany surrendered and World
War I ended, leaders of the victorious
Allied nations met in Paris to write up their
peace agreement. While many of the
leaders liked Wilson’s Fourteen Points,
most of them thought his plan was too
idealistic. They were more concerned about
punishing Germany. A number of the
nations had already worked out secret
agreements on how to divide up Germany’s
land, so they were not in favor of Wilson’s
demand for open agreements.
The settlement they finally worked out,
the Treaty of Versailles, ended up being
based largely on what the nations had
agreed upon in secret. Most of Wilson’s
Fourteen Points were ignored, but the
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Unit 15: War’s End and Fourteen Points - Page 13
persuasive American president did succeed
in getting the League of Nations included
in the agreement.
Wilson returning from the Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Failure of the League of Nations
The rules the League eventually
developed were made by man and not
based on God’s Word. Although they
sounded like good rules, nations didn’t
always agree on them, and the League of
Nations failed in the end because it didn’t
really have power to force nations to go
along with its decisions. The League also
didn’t have some of the world’s most
powerful countries, such as the United
States (because many in Congress
disagreed with the president’s willingness
to allow an organization to force them into
war), Germany (which was not permitted
to join), and Russia (also not permitted to
join).
Despite the League’s efforts to prevent
aggression over the following decades,
Japan invaded China in 1933, Italy
conquered Ethiopia two years later, and
then Germany began invading nations in
Europe, which started World War II.
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