The Great War Propaganda Webquest

Getting the people to support a war is ALWAYS a main concern of any government who wishes to fight a war.  WWI is no exception.  Your task today is to analyze the propaganda campaigns used by the Allies and Central Powers and to draw conclusions.  You are to then compare the propaganda of WWI to the propaganda of today (if there is any).

   TASK:

1.  You must visit several websites that shows propaganda posters from WWI (make sure it is not WWII) and answer questions about them

2.  You will learn about the Sedition and Espionage acts

3.  You will assess propaganda and the behavior of governments during war by comparing the homefront during WWI to the homefront today

 

   Resources:

• This is an excellent place to start in order to view different country's Propaganda http://www.firstworldwar.com/posters/usa.htm
• This has German posters http://www.worldwar1.com/post002.htm
• This has posters from all sides http://www.worldwar1.com/posters.htm
• You may find other resources to use as well
• To learn about the Sedition and Espionage Acts, click here. If that doesn't help, you may search for the info.

 

   To complete:

• You will answer the following questions and turn them in on Feb 1st

1.  Describe 3 posters from the US perspective, 3 from the British, 3 from the French and 3 from the German perspective that you looked at.

2.  What are war bonds and why were they so important?

3.  List 10 adjectives used in the posters you looked at.  How is language such an important part?

4.  How were the posters for the Germans and the Allies different?

5.  How were they similar?

6.  What kind of emotional reaction would you have if you were looking at those posters back during the war?

7.  Does this kind of propaganda still exist?  Why or why not?

8.  What are the Espionage and Sedition Acts?  Do we have anything like the Espionage and Sedition acts today?  What is it called?

9.  What does propaganda and these laws enacted during war tell us about how a country must fight a war?

10.  Should our government behave in such a way (especially considering it is/was a time or war)?  Why? (give me a thorough response)