Home FrontESSENTIAL QUESTION: DID WORLD WAR 1 STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY ON THE HOME FRONT?

Enlistment Selective Service Act

Passed May 18th, 1917, authorized president to increase military establishment in US

9.6 million people applied for draft (almost 10% of the US population).

Fun Fact: Secretary of War Newton D. Baker pulled number 258 out of a jar. (Sounds sort of like jury duty is today)

Expansion of Federal Government

President Wilson shifted economy from regular economy to war time economy.

Government controlled production of Farm Crops, industries produced.

War Industries Board Headed by Bernard Baruch- famous Wall Street Investment

Broker If we save more food at home, than more could be shipped

overseas to soldiers. Why would the government feel like they need to

control the farm crops and industries? How would it make the farmers feel?

New Opportunities for Women

Great Migration African Americans moved from

rural South to industrial North Moved because of racism in

the South and better job opportunities

Between 1910 and 1920 1.2 million African Americans moved North WE Du Bois“If this is our country, then

this is our war”

Wartime PropagandaPropaganda

George Creel- president of CPI (Committee on Public Information) Educate people on causes of war “sell America” Major focus on Anti-German

Propaganda Why was there such a variety

of different propaganda? Many countries in Europe had

propaganda Biased perspective to advertise

for a specific cause

Threats to Civil Liberties

Sedition Act Made it unlawful to use “disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or

abusive language” Prosecuted socialists, political radicals, and pacifists Schenck v. United States was upheld in 1919

Espionage Act Banned treasonable newspapers, magazines, or printed

materials from the mail. Anyone who interfers with the war effort could punish a

citizen up to $10,000 and 20 years of imprisonment

Threats to Civil Liberties…

Anti-War Protests Some men refused to cooperate with the Selective

Service process. They believed that it should be illegal for the

government to perform a draft. Conscientious objectors- war went against their

morals beliefs because of religion Patriot Act

Deter acts of terrorism in United States Could lead to databases of many innocent citizens past

criminals