Assignment: Write a soldier’s poem

Poem: I once was a soldier in FranceI used to get up and glanceUntil she came alongIn a little pink thongAnd instantly accepted my advance

Explanation: Many of the soldiers sent to Europe didn’t see battle and didn’t experience the gruesomeness of war. This poem is a way of showing how some the soldiers viewed the journey more of a vacation than deployment.

Assignment: Find a political cartoon on American neutrality and explain it

Cartoon:

Explanation: This carton by Dr. Seuss demonstrates how even though America claimed to be neutral; we were supplying the Allies with the weapons and other aid that allowed them to continue fighting. The British blockade didn’t allow America to trade with the Central Powers, so we continued to trade with the Allies powers. Under this slanted “neutrality” America’s profit of the British went through the roof.

Assignment: Find a political cartoon on American neutrality and explain it

Cartoon:

Explanation: This carton shows that America has chosen to be neutral in her best interests, not because she is afraid of either side. The point of this cartoon is to emphasize the fact that America is World power now, she is one of the “dogs.”

Assignment: Find and explain a political cartoon on Woodrow Wilson

Cartoon:

Explanation: This cartoon is showing how Wilson’s League of Nations never stood a chance. The “international” snake is the demise of the league because it is almost impossible to find a league that could support the varying needs of each country in the World. Wilson wanted guaranteed peace, the rest of the World, especially Europe, want power. The league is a bunny to highlight how small and innocent Wilson’s idea was. The league was Wilson’s baby, small innocent like the bunny.

Assignment: Find and explain a political cartoon on Woodrow Wilson

Cartoon:

Explanation: This cartoon shows Wilson finally entering World War I. You can see Wilson literally steering the boat toward justice. This shows Wilson’s main reason for entering the war: to help Europe cease fighting, rebuild, and become a democracy. That was Wilson’s justice; he didn’t need anything else. Unlike the other Allies he didn’t want to punish Germany, he wanted to teach her how to be democratic. Wilson was naïve enough to think he could actually steer all of the Europe towards justice.

Assignment: pie or bar graph

Pie Graph:

Assignment: Pie or bar graph

Pie graph:

Assignment: metaphor or simile

Simile: American neutrality in World War I is like jumbo shrimp, and oxymoron

Explanation: Even though America claimed to be neutral, she continued to trade with only the Allies. Although this was because of the British blockade, America didn’t do much to stop the blockade. Our way of being “neutral” was supplying the Allies with supplies necessary to win.

Assignment: metaphor or simile

Metaphor: The Paris Peace Treaty was the fuel that ignited World War II.

Explanation: World War mainly occurred because of the unresolved tensions of World War I. Not only did the Paris Peace Treaty leave unresolved issues, it also created new ones. The treaty caused Germany to hate the rest of Europe, and left enough space for Germany to get back on its feet and seek revenge.

Assignment: Quotation-explain quote

Quote: “This is not peace. It is an armistice for 20 years.” – French Marshall Ferdinand Foch

Explanation: Foch said this upon seeing the final draft of the Treaty of Versailles. Foch realized that the treaty didn’t resolve any issues. He also knew that this lack of resolution would inevitably lead to another war.

America and World War I