World War I: The War At Home

World War I: The War At Home1914-1920

Mobilizing Workers 100s of 1,000s of men drafted & immigration slowed= labor shortage Unionized workers went on strike

Demanded higher wages & benefits (nearly 4,500 strikes w/ more than a million workers in 1917)

Conditions improved throughout the war

Mobilizing Workers Pres. Wilson established the National War Labor Board

Settled disputes between workers & employers, in favor of labor most of the time

Union membership grew Labor shortage strengthened unions & change

Organizer Labor # of women working grew (mechanics, bricklayers, metalworkers,

railroad engineers, truck drivers) Considered it their patriotic duty Planned wartime mobilization, sat on agency’s that organized support

Produced 1 important political change= 19th Amendment

Volunteerism Patriotism swept the country

Conserved, recycled, planted Juliette Low- Girl Scouts nationwide

Worked directly w/ Food Admin.

Great Migration North Job opportunities & higher wages= important pop shift

Great Migration of African Americans from the South to the North, 1915-1930

Escaped discrimination, difficult living & working conditions

Great Migration North Better standard of living, but racial violence cont. 7/2/1917- East St. Louis- wartime incident= white rioters in black

neighborhoods, 39 dead

Influencing Attitudes Wilson wanted support for the war Committee on Public Info

Propaganda to encourage ppl Pamphlets warning citizens German spies

Influencing Attitudes Hollywood joined in Patriotic organizations formed to identify “spies & traitors” German citizens suffered Americanization

Suppressing Opposition Opposition=Traitors- experienced violence Socialist Party- nations were using working ppl as tools in a

capitalist struggle for control of world markets

Suppressing Opposition Congress passed= Espionage Act & Sedition Act

Crime to speak/write any criticism the gov’t/war/draft

Suppressing Opposition Many believed this violated the 1st Amendment

Supreme Court disagreed= Schenck v. United States Wartime permits greater restrictions on free speech

Quick Review How did organized labor and women benefit economically and

politically from the war effort?

How did the average individual volunteer to help in the war effort and how did Juliette Low contribute?

Explain the reasons for the Great Migration and the aftermath?

What did the government do to rally support for the war?

What did the government do to suppress the opposition to the war?

Activity: Pro-War Propaganda Partners Create a pamphlet or a poster that would have been used in

the U.S. to promote the war and/or discourage opposition towards the war.