This database includes articles, lesson plans and primary sources from the National WWI Museum and Memorial and our partners around the world, presented in collaboration with the United States World War One Centennial Commission.
Do you have resources that you want to share or have questions? Contact us at education@theworldwar.org.
Teaching Resource Database
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The Story of the Female Yeomen during the First World WarCreator: National ArchivesAmerican women were not able to officially serve in the military until World War I, when a loophole allowed for women to join the Navy as Yeoman (F) - The F stood for female. These women did not fight overseas, but their work in administrative roles was vital to the war effort. To learn more about the Yeoman (F) read this article by Nathaniel Patch in the National Archives' Prologue Magazine.Read Online |
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Female Spies in World War ITopics in Chronicling AmericaCreator: Library of CongressArticles from historic American newspapers document the coverage of women in espionage during the First World War. All the linked articles and many more are searchable via the Chronicling America: American Historic Newspapers digital collection.Explore Online |
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Remembering the Reconstruction AidesCreator: American Physical Therapy AssociationThis article documents and commemorates the 100th anniversary of the first use of physical therapists, most of whom were women, as civilian employees of the Medical Department of the U.S. Army during World War I.Read Online |
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The Women Warriors of the Russian RevolutionCreator: Smithsonian MagazineSet against the backdrop of the February Revolution in Russia, this short article by Carolyn Harris for Smithsonian Magazine describes the creation of the Women's Battalion of Death. Under the command of experienced female soldier Maria Bochkareva, the Women's Battalion of Death was created in part to shame men into continuing to fight. While women's rights activists around the world applauded the female soldiers, they were unable to stop Russia from leaving the war.Read Online |
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World War I and AmericaAmerican Women at WarCreator: Library of AmericaThis initiative from Library of America explores the continuing relevance of World War I by reading, discussing, and sharing insights into the writings of Americans who experienced it firsthand. Divided into topics, including: Why Fight?, The Experience of War, Race and World War I, American Women at War, The Home Front, America on the World Stage, and Coming Home, each subject area has both PDF reading guides and videos (hosted on Vimeo) of modern authors and scholars reading selected writings from the time period. In American Women at War, students explore the literary works of three WWI era women and then answer the question "Does women's wartime service transform gender roles and expectations?"View Online |
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Colonial Empires after the WarDecolonizationCreator: 1914-1918 OnlineEuropean colonies mobilized to assist with the war effort. After the Armistice, many colonists took hope from Woodrow Wilson’s idea of “self-determination” from his Fourteen Points. This article explores the anti-colonial nationalist challenges that developed after the Treaty of Versailles.Read Online |
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The Peace Treaties that Ended the First World WarCreator: Imperial War MuseumsOn 11 November 1918, an armistice came into effect ending the war in Western Europe – but this did not mean the return of peace. The armistice was effectively a German surrender, as its conditions ended any possibility of Germany continuing the war. Similar agreements had already been signed by Bulgaria, Turkey and Austria. However, the peace treaties which officially ended the First World War were not signed until 1919. This article from Paul Cornish of the Imperial War Museums looks into the peace treaties that officially ended the war.Read Online |
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The Surprisingly Important Role China Played in WWIWorld War I: 100 Years LaterCreator: Smithsonian.comAt the turn of the 20th Century, China was no longer the most powerful Asian nation with its influence lost to Russia and Japan as well as European “spheres of influence.” China joined the Allies to regain lost territory and ensure they had a seat during the peace talks. This article explores how China contributed to the Great War and how their treatment as an inferior nation at the Paris Peace Conference had an enormous influence on their future.Read Online |
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Aftermath of World War OneCreator: British LibraryIn this article, Professor David Stevenson explains how the Treaty of Versailles, the Treaties of Saint-Germain and Trianon and the Treaties of Neuilly and Sèvres re-drew Europe's post-war boundaries.Read Online |
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World War ITreaties and ReparationsCreator: United States Holocaust Memorial MuseumThe five treaties that ended WWI dramatically redrew the map of Europe and imposed harsh demands on the Central Powers. This article explores the terms of the treaties and how the Nazi Party was able to use dissatisfaction of the Treaty of Versailles to aid their rise to power.View Online |
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Continuing ConflictEurope After the First World WarCreator: Imperial War MuseumsWhile the Armistice officially ended fighting on the Western Front, peace was not achieved on all fronts until 1923. This article from IWM highlights the surprising number of post-war conflicts, including civil wars, uprisings and territorial disputes between newly formed countries.Read Online |
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League of Nations Fishbowl DebateCreator: Harry S Truman Presidential Library and MuseumIn this lesson plan geared for high school, students debate the question: Should the United States have ratified the Treaty of Versailles and Joined the League of Nations?View Online |
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Making and Breaking NationsCreator: British Library, David StevensonWorld War One resulted in radical changes to national boundaries. Professor David Stevenson, London School of Economics & Political Science, explains the changes that took place in Europe's political geography.Read Online |
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Documents from the Paris Peace ConferenceCollections SpotlightCreator: National WWI Museum and MemorialFaith Hunter Dodge was a freelance writer who attended the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 as an official journalist with the United States Army. While there, she represented the New York-based newspaper La Prensa. This short article and collection of documents from the National WWI Museum and Memorial sheds light on Dodge's activities in France.View Online |
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Treaty of VersaillesPrimary Documents in American HistoryCreator: Library of CongressThis primary source collection from the Library of Congress focuses on the Treaty of Versailles, was signed by Germany and the Allied Nations on June 28, 1919, formally ending World War I. This digital collection houses a wealth of information, including sound recordings, newspaper articles, photographs, historic documents and more.View Online |
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about this project
The United States World War One Centennial Commission and the National WWI Museum and Memorial are dedicated to educating the public about the causes, events and consequences of the conflict and we encourage the use of these resources to better understand the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community.
Assisting in this endeavor are:
