5th Grade Social Studies Teacher Notes
SS5H4 The student will describe U.S. involvement in World War I and post-World
War I America.
The intent of this standard is for students to understand the impact of World War I on
American life, and how events developed that eventually led the United States to send
troops to fight abroad. Further, students should understand that the war’s terrible toll
in terms of destruction and loss of life led to a belief that such a conflict could not occur
again. As a result, the decade following World War I was one of cultural rather than
military accomplishment.
a. Explain how
German attacks on
U. S. shipping
during the war in
Europe (19141917) ultimately
led the U. S. to join
the fight against
Germany; include
the sinking of the
Lusitania and
concerns over
safety of U. S.
ships, U. S.
contributions to
the war, and the
impact of the
Treaty of
Versailles in 1919.
EU – Conflict and
Change
This element specifically asks students to explain the impact of each of the
enumerated events on the U. S. decision to enter World War I. Students may be
asked to identify a group of U. S. contributions to the war, or to explain the impact
of these contributions, but they may not be asked to recall such details out of
context. As always, dates are provided for teacher reference and not for student
memorization.
When the conflict now known as World War I began in 1914, the United States was
not immediately and directly involved. (Students may ask about how the war
began in Europe. Teachers may want to address briefly the assassination and how
alliances formed and played a role in other countries’ involvement in the war. Be
aware of keeping the focus on the standard and on time limitations due to pacing.)
However, the United States’ official status as a non-combatant did not prevent
German U-boats (submarines) from attacking all ships approaching Great Britain.
At the time, American and Canadian ships were key suppliers for Great Britain, so
shipping was constant and necessary.
These attacks became a galvanizing force in public opinion in May of 1915. On the
7th of that month, a German U-boat sank the Lusitania, a passenger ship. Nearly
1200 people died, including over one hundred Americans. For one historian’s take
on the sinking of the Lusitania, visit:
http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/historian/hist_winter_12_lusitania.html. For a
more straightforward account of the attack, visit:
http://www.pbs.org/lostliners/lusitania.html. (Teachers will note that historians’
views differ as to whether or not the sinking was avoidable.)
American opinion on entering the war remained divided. Many feared the loss of
life and immense destruction that would accompany U. S. involvement. Others,
seeing that the relentless trench warfare never seemed to give either side a clear
victory, felt that an infusion of fresh American troops would give the Allies a
needed boost. Over time, American officials, including President Woodrow Wilson,
tired of Germany’s relentless attacks, ended his stance of neutrality. On April 2,
1917, Wilson requested a declaration of war from Congress:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/wilson/portrait/wp_war.html. (Note that this
site contains many details that are beyond the scope of the standards but may be
useful for building background knowledge.)
The United States sent troops to fight in Europe. However, by the time most troops
arrived at the end of 1917, it was apparent to many, including Wilson, that the war
would be better solved with diplomacy than guns. Revolution in Russia had created
a new system of communist government, and they withdrew from the fight against
Germany. As Germany tried to press further into France, the additional American
troops helped prevent real success for the Germans. The Allies were able to keep
the Germans at bay, and the war-weary continent looked for an end to the fighting.
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5th Grade Social Studies Teacher Notes
Wilson created a plan for lasting world peace (known as the Fourteen Points) that
involved intense diplomacy rather than a buildup of arms. In the end, the only part
of Wilson’s Fourteen Points included in the Peace Treaty was the creation of a
global peace keeping organization called the League of Nations (the precursor to
the United Nations).
The Armistice that went into effect on November 11, 1918, created a worldwide
feeling of relief. The war, long and terrible in ways never before imagined, ended
almost at an instant. Soldiers on both sides left their trenches and celebrated. The
Peace Treaty signed at Versailles, France, in June of 1919, however, did not create
the lasting peace that Wilson sought. Germany was forced to shoulder much of the
blame for the war, give up territory it had gained, and pay huge reparations. The
exact terms of how this should happen were unclear, and German resentment
against the Treaty of Versailles grew and grew as the world slipped into the Great
Depression the following decade. For specifics on the 1919 treaty, visit
http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/great-war-evaluating-treaty-versailles,
which has a lesson plan for student use. Teachers may wish to use bits and pieces of
these lessons, which are designed for high school students.
Teachers should remind students that while we, today, can easily see how World
War I (which contemporaries called The Great War) led directly to World War II,
this was certainly not the case at the time. People then believed that such a conflict
would never occur again, and it is difficult for us to comprehend that sense of relief.
b. Describe the
cultural
developments and
individual
contributions in
the 1920s of the
Jazz Age (Louis
Armstrong), the
Harlem
Renaissance
(Langston
Hughes), baseball
(Babe Ruth), the
automobile
(Henry Ford), and
the airplane
(Charles
Lindbergh).
EU – Conflict and
Change
EU – Individuals
Groups and
Institutions
EU – Movement/
Migration
EU – Technological
Innovation
EU – Beliefs and
ideals
For an excellent resource on the war, visit the following site:
http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/. It includes images, sound recordings, other
primary sources, and historical commentary, as well as a simple yet thorough
timeline of events leading up to the war, the actual conflict, and its aftermath.
For this element, students should be able to describe life in the 1920s, with specific
references to the movements, activities, inventions, and individuals enumerated in
the element. Teachers may teach additional information about the time period,
such as additional writers from the Harlem Renaissance, but be cognizant of the
focus of the standard and time limitations due to pacing.
Following the horrors of World War I, people around the world wanted to celebrate
and enjoy life. The 1920s, in America experienced economic prosperity and a
flowering of unique cultural creativity. The term Jazz Age is largely a synonym for
the 1920s. Jazz was a new style of music at the time, uniquely American, and born
from the ‘melting pot’ of cultures that had created the country. Louis Armstrong,
the New Orleans born singer and cornet player, epitomized the style of music for
decades. His songs brought jazz into the mainstream for people of all colors,
ethnicities, and socio-economic status. For more on jazz, visit:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/history_of_jazz.htm. For more
on Louis Armstrong, including song recordings, visit:
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_armstrong_louis.htm.
It was also a time of upheaval for many. People moved from rural to urban areas,
and from agrarian South to the industrial urban centers of the North. New political
ideas arrived, and threatened the status quo. Social movements, such as women’s
rights, brought upheaval to the lives of many Americans, and their impact continues
today.
The migration of African-Americans from the South to the North also created a
cultural movement. Many writers, artists, and thinkers congregated in New York
City’s Harlem neighborhood. The Harlem Renaissance is the modern name for the
movement that celebrated African-American life through story, poetry, drama,
song, visual arts, and more. {For archival resources related to the Harlem
Renaissance, visit: http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/harlem/harlem.html.}
During the 1920s and 1930s, people associated with the movement also began to
promote the ideas and beliefs now associated with modern Civil Rights.
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5th Grade Social Studies Teacher Notes
Langston Hughes is one of the writers whose work is now virtually synonymous
with the Harlem Renaissance. Like many, he left his home in the South to go to New
York City. His writing, notably his poetry, was influenced by the sounds of the Jazz
Age. He wrote the story of African-Americans in many walks of life, and sought to
define a unique African-American culture. For more, visit:
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/hughes/aa_hughes_subj.html
When Henry Ford revolutionized American industry with mass production of
automobiles on assembly lines, few recognized this innovation as being
monumental. However, within a few years, the Ford Motor Car Company realized
huge success, as Henry Ford created an automobile that the average American
worker could afford. These cars, simply built, but functional and relatively reliable,
took over American roads, and brought about many changes in American life.
People could live farther from their places of employment, travel at will, and
generally enjoy a lifestyle unthinkable two decades prior. The ill effects of such
travel, such as pollution, did not become part of the American consciousness for
many more years. A short biography of Ford is found here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/btford.html, and an extensive
explanation of how the automobile industry changed America can be found here:
http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/.
When Henry Ford revolutionized American industry with mass production of
automobiles on assembly lines, few recognized this innovation as being
monumental. However, within a few years, the Ford Motor Car Company realized
huge success, as Henry Ford created an automobile that the average American
worker could afford. These cars, simply built, but functional and relatively reliable,
took over American roads, and brought about many changes in American life.
People could live farther from their places of employment, travel at will, and
generally enjoy a lifestyle unthinkable two decades prior. The ill effects of such
travel, such as pollution, did not become part of the American consciousness for
many more years. A short biography of Ford is found here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/btford.html, and an extensive
explanation of how the automobile industry changed America can be found here:
http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/.
As Americans took to the roads, they also became fascinated by air travel.
Following the Wright Brothers’ early success, more and more inventors began to
test the limits of lighter than air machines. Eventually, these airplanes became
popular with daredevils and the military alike. The potential of airplane travel for
ordinary Americans would not be realized for several more decades, but eventually
the ability to cross the country in a matter of hours would become more than a
novelty. Charles Lindbergh took this fascination to new heights in 1937, when he
crossed the Atlantic Ocean as a solo pilot. This flight catapulted him to personal
fame, and gained many new fans for modern aviation. For an interesting timeline,
visit: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/lindbergh/timeline/index.html.
SS5H4b
With the introduction of Henry Ford’s Model T, automobiles became more common in the 1920s. The
automobile has caused many changes in America. Which statement is true?
A. Automobiles have forced more people to live in rural areas.
B. More people have chosen to use other forms of transportation.
C. Automobiles have allowed people to live farther from their jobs. *
D. Most people have decided not to use automobiles.
Harlem is a part of New York City. During the 1920s, it was the site of what was called the Harlem
Renaissance. Which phrase best describes the Harlem Renaissance?
A. a revival in African-American arts *
B. a renewed interest in European art
C. a movement from urban areas to the West
D. a style of architecture found in New York
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