WWI and the WWI and the Home FrontHome Front

Main IdeaMain Idea

WWI spurred social, WWI spurred social, political, and political, and economic change economic change in the United in the United States.States.

President Wilson is EmpoweredPresident Wilson is Empowered

WWI was such an WWI was such an immense conflict, the immense conflict, the entire economy had to be entire economy had to be refocused on the war refocused on the war effort.effort.

Shift from consumer Shift from consumer goods to war suppliesgoods to war supplies

War Industries BoardWar Industries Board Encouraged companies to use mass Encouraged companies to use mass

production techniques to increase production techniques to increase efficiency.efficiency.

Production increased by 20 percent!Production increased by 20 percent!

Railroad and Fuel AdministrationRailroad and Fuel Administration

Monitored coal Monitored coal suppliessupplies

Rationed gasoline Rationed gasoline and heating oiland heating oil

Americans adopted Americans adopted “gasless Sundays” “gasless Sundays” and “lightless and “lightless nights.”nights.”

Daylight savingsDaylight savings

War EconomyWar Economy

Hourly wages for workers in Hourly wages for workers in metal trades, shipbuilding, and metal trades, shipbuilding, and meat packing rose by meat packing rose by 20%!20%!

The DuPont Company’s stock The DuPont Company’s stock value increased value increased 1,6001,600 percent percent between 1914 and 1918.between 1914 and 1918.

Union memberships almost Union memberships almost doubleddoubled..

National War Labor BoardNational War Labor Board Workers had a draft Workers had a draft

exemption.exemption. Many unions going Many unions going

on strike.on strike.• Wilson said, “work or Wilson said, “work or

fight.”fight.” Striking workers Striking workers

could now be could now be drafted.drafted.

Wilson’s Food AdministrationWilson’s Food Administration

One day a week was “meatless,” One day a week was “meatless,” another was “sweetless,” two days another was “sweetless,” two days were “wheatless,” and two other were “wheatless,” and two other days were “porkless.”days were “porkless.”

Victory GardensVictory Gardens

After school, children would go home After school, children would go home and grow tomatoes and cucumbers and grow tomatoes and cucumbers in public parks.in public parks.

American food shipments to the American food shipments to the Allied forces TRIPLED!Allied forces TRIPLED!

Farmers dedicated another 40 million Farmers dedicated another 40 million acres to wheat and their incomes acres to wheat and their incomes grew by 30%!grew by 30%!

War FinancingWar Financing

The U.S. spent $35.5 billion on the The U.S. spent $35.5 billion on the war effort.war effort.

1/3 was gained through a 1/3 was gained through a progressive income tax.progressive income tax.

Luxury taxLuxury tax Victory Loans / Victory BondsVictory Loans / Victory Bonds

Committee on Public Committee on Public InformationInformation

Government sponsored propaganda Government sponsored propaganda agency.agency.

American artists were commissioned American artists were commissioned to create posters.to create posters.

Distributed 75 million pamphlets with Distributed 75 million pamphlets with the help of the Boy Scouts.the help of the Boy Scouts.

Promoted patriotism.Promoted patriotism.

Attack on Civil LibertiesAttack on Civil Liberties

With war comes With war comes conformity.conformity.

Anti-immigrant Anti-immigrant hysteria broke outhysteria broke out

Especially Especially directed toward directed toward German and German and Austria-Hungarian Austria-Hungarian immigrantsimmigrants

German ImmigrantsGerman Immigrants

Many people with German names Many people with German names lost their jobs.lost their jobs.

Orchestras refused to play Mozart, Orchestras refused to play Mozart, Bach, Beethoven and Brahms.Bach, Beethoven and Brahms.

Towns with German names had their Towns with German names had their names changed.names changed.

German language was dropped German language was dropped from schools.from schools.

Books, written by German Books, written by German authors, were removed from authors, were removed from libraries.libraries.

German Americans were German Americans were getting flogged or smeared getting flogged or smeared with tar and feathers.with tar and feathers.

One German born miner was One German born miner was wrapped in the American flag wrapped in the American flag and lynched.and lynched.

German measles were renamed the German measles were renamed the “liberty measles.”“liberty measles.”

Hamburger was renamed Salisbury Hamburger was renamed Salisbury steak or a “liberty sandwich.”steak or a “liberty sandwich.”

Sauerkraut was “liberty cabbage” and Sauerkraut was “liberty cabbage” and dachsunds were “liberty puppies.”dachsunds were “liberty puppies.”

Espionage and Sedition ActsEspionage and Sedition Acts

Could be Could be fined up to fined up to $10,000 or 20 $10,000 or 20 years for years for interfering interfering with the war with the war effort.effort.

Eugene DebsEugene Debs

Sentenced to ten years in prison for Sentenced to ten years in prison for speaking out against the draft.speaking out against the draft.

Social ChangeSocial Change

W. E. B. W. E. B. DuBois DuBois believed that believed that African African American American support for the support for the war would war would strengthen strengthen calls for racial calls for racial justice.justice.

The Great MigrationThe Great Migration

Hundreds of thousands of Southern Hundreds of thousands of Southern blacks moved to cities in the north.blacks moved to cities in the north.

Factors of the Great MigrationFactors of the Great Migration

Escape racismEscape racism Avoid the Jim Crow lawsAvoid the Jim Crow laws Boll weevil infestation ruined cotton Boll weevil infestation ruined cotton

plantationsplantations More jobs in the northMore jobs in the north

Women in the WarWomen in the War

Men went off to war and women went Men went off to war and women went to work in their placeto work in their place

““The services of women during the The services of women during the supreme crisis have been of the most supreme crisis have been of the most single usefulness and distinction.” single usefulness and distinction.” President WilsonPresident Wilson

Women in the WarWomen in the War

1919 – Congress passed the 191919 – Congress passed the 19thth Amendment granting women the Amendment granting women the right to vote.right to vote.

1920 – amendment was ratified by 1920 – amendment was ratified by the statesthe states

Flu EpidemicFlu Epidemic

Affected 25% of the U.S. populationAffected 25% of the U.S. population Mines shut downMines shut down Telephone service cut in halfTelephone service cut in half Cities ran short on coffinsCities ran short on coffins

Flu EpidemicFlu Epidemic

Corpses of poor people lay unburied Corpses of poor people lay unburied for as long as a week.for as long as a week.

Sudden onsetSudden onset Doctors could only quarantineDoctors could only quarantine 500,000 American soldiers died by 500,000 American soldiers died by

19191919 30 million killed worldwide30 million killed worldwide

Home Front – Final Slide!Home Front – Final Slide!

WWI brought death and disease to WWI brought death and disease to millions as did the flu epidemic.millions as did the flu epidemic.

The war came to a sudden end as The war came to a sudden end as leaders gathered at Versailles.leaders gathered at Versailles.

Would WWI be the war to end all Would WWI be the war to end all wars?wars?