Essays

World War I

The essays in this section have been written by leading scholars of American history. They provide additional depth on events and ideas referred to in the introductory essay and, in some cases, different interpretations by historians looking at the same events. These essays are particularly useful in introducing your students to one of the most exciting aspects of studying history—understanding the past from a variety of perspectives.

"Colored Man Is No Slacker," WWI poster, 1918 (GLC06134)

From These Honored Dead: Memorial Day and Veterans Day in American History

Author: Kenneth T. Jackson Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
Zimmermann Telegram, January 19, 1917. (National Archives)

The Zimmermann Telegram and American Entry into World War I

Author: Michael S. Neiberg Curriculum Subjects: World History Grade Levels: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+

Essays from Other Sub-Eras

Modern Women Persuading Modern Men: The Nineteenth Amendment and the Movement for Woman Suffrage, 1916–1920

Author: Jonathan Soffer Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels:

Sisters of Suffrage: British and American Women Fight for the Vote

Author: Barbara Winslow Curriculum Subjects: Economics, Government and Civics, World History Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
Breadline in New York, ca. 1930. (Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Div.)

The Great Depression: An Overview

Author: David M. Kennedy Curriculum Subjects: Economics, Government and Civics, World History Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
Panorama of Chicago, ca. 1906, Universale View Co., Philadelphia, PA (LOC)

The Transnational Nature of the Progressive Era

Author: Daniel T. Rodgers Curriculum Subjects: World History Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+
The County Election, based on a painting by George C. Bingham, 1854. (Gilder Leh

Winning the Vote: A History of Voting Rights

Author: Steven Mintz Curriculum Subjects: Government and Civics Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13+