Media during World War I

Begin class by watching a few examples of modern propaganda, like commercials. Afterward, the teacher will ask, “How effective is propaganda?” and “Can propaganda be enough to win a war?” The class will discuss how we see propaganda in our everyday lives and debate how effective it really is, including whether it’s based on facts or if it relies mostly on emotions. From there, the focus will shift to 1917 and the challenges America faced during World War I, both on the front lines and at home. To address these challenges and build support for the war, the U.S. used propaganda to rally the public and boost morale. Students will break into groups, with pairs in each group analyzing two World War I propaganda documents using the Library of Congress Primary Source Analysis Tool to guide their observations. After working through their assigned documents, each pair will share their analysis with the rest of their group, focusing on the motivation behind the propaganda and the emotional appeals it used. As pairs present, the rest of the group will take notes and add annotations. The class will then come together for a Socratic discussion around the question, “How did propaganda help America win World War I?” To wrap up, students will return to their groups to discuss how each poster stirred feelings like patriotism, duty, or adventure to build public support for the war effort at home. Finally, students will select the poster they think best used propaganda techniques to built support around the war.