Teaching World War I in the 21st Century 1 | Page 6

DIRECTOR’S NOTE
In keeping with the 100th anniversary of World War I, we prepared this classroom resource book to encourage

teachers to help their students examine the Great War from different angles and perspectives. The “war to end all
wars” is sometimes skimmed over, serving as a precursor to World War II. In some classrooms, the focus tends to

be on the United States, with much less attention paid to the conflict from the European perspective. This resource
takes a more global approach, providing essays that examine World War I from different perspectives and lessons

that bring new topics and angles into the classroom. As students who develop National History Day (NHD) projects
know, events of the past continue to reverberate long into the future. The issues related to World War I had both
immediate and long-term impacts. The world is still grappling with diplomatic challenges, immigration, and the

meaning of freedom and sacrifice. We hope this resource offers new ways of thinking and learning about the war
and also, importantly, its consequences.

We are indebted to HISTORY® for its sponsorship, and grateful to Dr. Libby O’Connell and Dr. Kim Gilmore for

their contributions and their thoughtful review of the essays and lessons in this book. This year marks another
anniversary for us—the 20th anniversary of National History Day’s partnership with HISTORY®. For 20 years,

Dr. O’Connell has consistently supported NHD’s efforts to enhance the teaching and learning of history through
both student and teacher materials and programs. This book is only the most recent in a series of classroom

resource materials produced with assistance and sponsorship by HISTORY®. NHD has benefited profoundly by its
relationship with HISTORY® and Dr. O’Connell, and we look forward to working together to bring new ideas and
materials to classrooms across the country and around the globe.

This resource also was made possible by several organizations that provided images and documents. We are
grateful to Jeff Hawks and the Army Heritage Center, Lee Ann Potter and Stephen Wesson at the Library of

Congress, Maria Marable Bunch and Stephanie Greenhut at the National Archives and Records Administration,

David Werner and John Deluca at the Naval History and Heritage Command, Carrie Kotcho and Naomi Coquillion at
the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and Behring Center, Annette Amerman and the U.S. Marine
Corps History Division, and to Lora Vogt and Stacie Petersen at the National World War I Museum. I also want to

thank the authors of the essays and lessons found in this book and on the NHD website whose bylines appear with
their contributions.

The lessons in this guide are the beginning of this resource. All of the classroom materials, graphic organizers,

and student worksheets are available for teachers to download and adapt for use in their classrooms. This book
features eight lessons, and an additional nine lessons are available at www.nhd.org/WWI.htm.

I hope this resource is helpful and stimulates additional ideas and approaches to teaching and learning about the
history and legacy of World War I.

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Cathy Gorn
June 2014