Please use a tablet or desktop computer to use this activity.
With a partner, you are going to make connections between groups of documents related to President Wilson’s call to end mob violence in the United States during World War I and the experiences of different Americans, with an emphasis on African Americans. Carefully read and analyze each document in the given order. When you see a box with a question in it, discuss the answers with your partner. You are encouraged to take notes while you are working related to the following Essential Questions. '''Essential Questions'''[[BR]] 1. How far should the government be able to go in order to win a war? 2. How did the nation’s priorities during WWI impact the rights of citizens? 3. How did the government protect the rights of citizens during WWI? 4. What was the impact of WWI on improving the status of African Americans? 5. What role did the government play in exacerbating mob violence during WWI? 6. To what extent did the government deal with the specter of lynching during WWI? 7. To what extent did the fulfillment of African Americans’ responsibilities as citizens by serving in the military during WWI impact their access to their rights as citizens? Consider using the National Archives Document Analysis Worksheets in order to really examine each document. (http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/)
Unit Plan GQ=Guiding Questions 1. Play song “Strange Fruit” as sung by Billie Holiday & look at corresponding historical photographs of lynching. Discuss song, lyrics, causes of lynching & why there are photographs. GQ: What is the message of the song? What are the rhetorical devices used in the song? What is the effect of hearing this song & seeing these images together? 2. Introduce Ida B. Wells. Read & annotate document “On Lynch Law in America”. List questions about document in addition to guiding questions. Discuss conclusions & questions paying particular attention to how Wells framed her argument. GQ: How does Wells explain the occurrence of lynching? Why do you think she believed the federal government did not act to stop lynching? 3. Small groups analyze lynching statistics & source information. Look for patterns & draw conclusions. Record questions as well. Present to class & discuss. GQ: What patterns do you notice in the statistics? What questions do you have about the statistics? 4. Write RAFT letters. Select an early 20th century role (i.e. African American citizen), an audience (i.e. the President), a format (i.e. letter) & topic (i.e. What the government should do about lynching.) GQ: How should the government have responded to lynching? What do you think was in the government’s power to do to stop lynching? How would a citizen have framed a case to the government in order to persuade the government to enforce laws against murder outside of the legal process? 5. Review causes of WWI. Read aloud Wilson’s 1917 Address to Congress. Half class brainstorm why US was justified in entering the war. Other half brainstorm why US was not justified. Each half develop thesis for argument. Share theses. Class vote on whether US should have entered war. GQ: Why do you think many Americans were willing to fight in WWI? Do you think that most Americans were excited to go to war? Why or why not? What were President Wilson’s reasons for asking Congress to declare war on Germany? To what extent was a US declaration of war justified? Do you think the U.S. was justified in entering the war? 6. Review outbreak & geography of WWI. Use Laurence Lafore’s “The Long Fuse” &/or online maps. Small groups examine US immigration statistics in years leading up to WWI. Identify patterns or particularly significant statistics. Draw conclusions about relationship between statistics & WWI. GQ: Why did the US feel the need to involve itself in a European war? What is the relationship between immigration & public sentiment about WWI? What do the statistics make you think about possible differences in point of view on the involvement of the US in WWI? To what extent do you think public sentiment was united on the involvement of the US in WWI? What questions do you have about the statistics? 7. Use NARA lesson Photographs of the 169th Infantry. Analyze Library of Congress poster called “True Sons of Freedom” with National Archives Poster Document Analysis form. Discuss. Read aloud of primary source called “I Did My Bit for Democracy.” List reasons why this soldier may have enlisted. GQ: Why did so many African Americans serve in WWI? What other events of the early 20th century may have influenced African Americans to serve in the military in WWI? What is the relationship between African American military service & lynching? DocsTeach Activity Assessment. Write essay answering an of Essential Questions using minimum number of documents from DocsTeach Activity to support argument. Review how to cite sources. Further research Abel Meeropol & origin “Strange Fruit” Writings of Ida B. Wells-Barnett Attorney General Thomas Watt Gregory’s career & scandals President Wilson’s record on race Failure of Dyer Anti-lynching Bill 2005 Senate apology for failing to end lynching Bradley Manning case linked to 1917 Espionage Act
To the extent possible under law, Jennifer Johnson has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to "President Wilson Calls for an End to Mob Violence During WWI, But for Who?".
