Lesson 3: U.S. Enters WWI

Introduction

Important Icon In this lesson, you will consider the events that led the United States to become involved in World War I. Important Icon

Focus Questions:

What influenced the U.S. to join World War I?

How did the U.S. fare in the outcome of World War I? 

U.S. Enters World War I

At the beginning of World War I, the United States took on a belief of isolationism. The U.S. thought that if they did not get directly involved, then the war would carry along and they would not be affected. However, the United States would quickly learn that being indirectly involved had just as big consequences.

  In your journal:  Print the notes page and complete it as you go through the slides. If you do not have access to a printer, another option is to draw/write your notes page in your social studies journal.

U.S. Enters War Notes Download U.S. Enters War Notes

View the slideshow below to learn more about how the United States became indirectly and then directly involved in World War I.

 

 Interactive

In your journal: Now, we will review some of the key terms you learned today. Throughout this unit, we will learn new words while adding to the key terms we have already learned. Add these new words to the table you started in lesson 1. You will also review the key terms from our previous lessons.

“But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts, for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own Governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself, at last, free.” - President Woodrow Wilson (1917).

The United States was officially at war.  

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