Name:__________________________________
Beginning with 1914, write “Stay Neutral” or “Declare War” beneath each event to show how you believe the United States should have
reacted to that event. When and if you decided the United States should have declared war, write “Fight War” for the remaining events on
the timeline.
War Breaks Out
1914
Lusitania Sunk
Sussex Pledge Made
1915
1916
Zimmerman Note
Published
1917
After completing the timeline, write a paragraph that answers the question, Was it in national interest of
the United States to stay neutral or declare war in 1917?
Make sure your paragraph includes:
 A clear topic sentence that communicates the main idea of your paragraph
 One or two pieces of evidence (facts, data, quotes) from the reading to support your topic sentence
 One or two sentences that explain how your evidence supports your topic sentence
*You may do this on the back of this sheet, on other paper, type it, turn in on Google Docs, carrier pigeon
– whatever works for you
*You will need to staple your timeline sheet (this paper) to your paragraph if you use separate paper
*The paragraph is a SOLO activity - please write your own paragraph
Name_________________________________
SECTION 2
From Neutrality to War
1. Why did President Wilson’s decision to stay out of World War I in 1914 please many Americans?
2. What was the status of combat in Europe in 1914? What was the status of diplomatic efforts to end the war at that time?
SECTION 3
1. How did the attack on the Lusitania bring the United States closer to declaring war in 1915?
2. Why might the Sussex pledge have helped the United States stay neutral in 1916?
SECTION 4
1. What events in early 1917 caused President Wilson to ask Congress to declare war?
2. President Wilson said the United States would be going to war to make the world “safe for democracy”. How did his critics respond to this reasoning?
Name:________________________________
Stay Neutral
Declare War
Section 2 The
United States
Tries to Stay
Neutral
Section 3
Challenges to
the U.S. Policy
of Neutrality
Section 4 The
United States
Declares a
“War to End
All War”
Directions – Read Sections 2 to 4. After reading each section, answer the corresponding questions on the back of this sheet. Then in the box above titled “Stay
Neutral” identify one or more arguments from that section that could be used against the United States entering World War I at this time. In the box titled
“Declare War”, identify one or more arguments that could be used in favor of going to war at this time