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. Be sure to join the mailing list to get updated content and resources every other month.
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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WWI Maker ActivityTelephonesCreator: Virginia Cooperative Extension 4-HThe U.S. Army adopted the telephone as soon as it was invented, using it in the Spanish-American War. In 1917 General Pershing asked the War Department to recruit women to serve overseas as telephone operators to pass messages between the front lines and headquarters. In this maker activity from the Virginia Cooperative Extension 4-H, young students will explore the importance of telephones to the war and do a hands-on activity.Making a String Telephone - Handout (PDF), The History Behind it, Telephones (PDF), The Science Behind it, Telephones (PDF) |
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List of Mothers and Widows of American Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Entitled to Make a Pilgrimage to the War Cemeteries in EuropePilgrimage for the mothers and widows of soldiers, sailors, and marines of the American forcesCreator: Villanova UniversityA full digitization (364 images) of the 1929 Pilgrimage for the Mothers and Widows of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines of the American Forces, an index of Gold Star Mothers and Wives entitled to travel to the war cemeteries in Europe to visit the graves of their loved ones. The book includes names and home cities of the family members, as well as the names, ranks, service information and cemetery location of the fallen soldiers.View Online |
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Mail CallA podcast of news, letters, and stories from the Great WarCreator: Villanova UniversityA podcast series created as part of Home Before the Leaves Fall (wwionline.org), each episode is approximately 30-50 minutes long and is available to stream or download. Topics include chronological events of the war, the sinking of the Lusitania, the Easter Rising, U.S. entry to the war, and the Russian Revolution.Listen Online |
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Lawrence of ArabiaBattle for the Arab WorldCreator: PBSCreated in 2003, this website is a companion to the PBS program Lawrence of Arabia, Battle for the Arab World. Though older, this site still includes multiple articles and lesson plans on the Arab Revolt, Bedouin culture and biographies that can be used by a classroom with or without viewing the original television program.View Online |
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War and Revolution in Russia 1914-1921Creator: BBC HistoryRussia signaled its withdrawal from World War I soon after the October Revolution of 1917, and the country turned in on itself with a bloody civil war between the Bolsheviks and the conservative White Guard. This article for BBC by Jonathan Smele charts this turbulent episode in the forging of post-tsarist Russia.Read Online |
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The Arab RevoltA War of Unintended ConsequencesCreator: James Barr, Al Jazeera EnglishThis editorial article by James Barr for Al Jazeera English briefly lays out the history of the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. The author also shows the modern parallels by comparing the British support for Bedouin Arabs in World War I with American special forces actions in Syria in 2016.Read Online |
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1917 and the French MutiniesCreator: National World War I Museum and MemorialOne hundred years after French mutineers shouted, “down with the war!” the legacy of the 1917 mutinies remains. Dr. André Loez presents an eye-opening lecture as he addresses how the mutinies inform and reframe our understanding of World War I. Consider what makes an army put down its weapons, or continue to fight. This program was presented in partnership with the Cultural Services of the French Embassy with support from the French Mission du centenaire de la Première Guerre mondiale.Watch Online |
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Easter RisingThis Day in HistoryCreator: HISTORY®This short article from HISTORY® details the events of Easter Monday, April 24, 1916. A group of Irish nationalists proclaimed the establishment of the Irish Republic and, along with some 1,600 followers, staged a rebellion against the British government in Ireland. The rebels seized prominent buildings in Dublin and clashed with British troops. Within a week, the insurrection had been suppressed and more than 2,000 people were dead or injured.Read Online |
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Document Based QuestionGerman-Americans in WWI: Facing Challenges at HomeCreator: National WWI Museum and MemorialWhat challenges did German-Americans face after the United States entered World War I? Students will analyze primary source documents, including propaganda posters, letters, and legislation, to understand the attitudes and challenges faced by the German-American community, and how they responded.Download PDF |
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American Committee for Relief in the Near East: PostersCreator: National World War I Museum and MemorialThis collection of original posters and documents created by the American Committee for Relief in the Near East are part of an early groundswell of humanitarian aid from American citizens during WWI.View Online |
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Experiences of Colonial TroopsCreator: Santanu Das & The British LibraryAt least four million non-white troops served with the Allies and Central Powers in combat and non-combat roles during World War I. In the article "Experiences of Colonial Troops" from the British Library, Santanu Das describes the daily lives of colonial soldiers as well as how race was used to dictate military policy.Read Online |
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The Gladstone Collection of African American PhotographsCreator: Library of CongressThese images from the collections of the Library of Congress document African American participation in the First World War.Explore Online |
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How Woodrow Wilson's Propaganda Machine Changed American JournalismCreator: Smithsonian MagazineThe Committee on Public Information, also known as the Creel Committee after chairman George Creel, was created by President Wilson to help control all war related news and promote the war effort at home. This article by Christopher B. Daly from Smithsonian Magazine highlights the various operations of the Creel Committee's propaganda machine that set the example for propaganda's use during later wars.Read Online |
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African American Doctors in World War IWorld War I Podcast SeriesCreator: MacArthur MemorialPart of the MacArthur Memorial’s World War I Podcast Series, this episode explores the little known story of African American doctors who answered the call to service. Why did they serve? And what is their legacy? In this podcast, W. Douglas Fisher and Joann H. Buckley, authors of the book: African American Doctors of World War I, shed light on the little known story of African American doctors who served during World War I. Fisher and Buckley discuss the difficulties these men faced in obtaining medical degrees, their service in a segregated military, and their ultimate return to life in the United States.Listen Online, Visit Website |
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Life on the Front During World War ICreator: U.S. Army Heritage & Education CenterThis lesson from the U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center is intended to help students comprehend a Soldier's experience in war beyond the battles and to understand what the Soldiers relied on to keep life as "normal" as possible. In this lesson, students use photographs from World War I and two surveys completed by Veterans who served on the Western Front to shape their understanding of life on the front during the war.Download Part 1 (zip), Download Part 2 (zip) |
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about this project
The United States World War One Centennial Commission and the National World War I 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:
