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.
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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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Document Based QuestionPeace Talks and Self-DeterminationCreator: National WWI Museum and MemorialIn his Fourteen Points proposal, President Woodrow Wilson advocated for self-determination and the interests of the populations of colonial territories, but who exactly did Wilson intended to receive rights of self-determination? Students are asked to evaluate an historian’s arguments with review of related primary documents, highlighting the experience of post-WWI colonies.Download PDF |
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Letter from Ho Chi Minh to Secretary of State Robert LansingCreator: National ArchivesPrior to his pivotal role in the Vietnam War, Nguyen Ai Quac (Ho Chi Minh) requested members of the Paris Peace Conference to consider the rights of Vietnamese people in French Indochina. His request was ignored. The National Archives has the original 1919 letter (in the original French and translated into English) from Ho Chi Minh as well as other related documents from the Paris Peace Conference.Read the Letter |
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World War One Through Arab EyesCreator: Al Jazeera EnglishThis video series from Al Jazeera English tells the story of the First World War from an Arab perspective. In the three-part series, each episode lasting approximately 45 minutes, Tunisian writer and broadcaster Malek Triki presents viewers with an often-forgotten perspective of the war. World War One Through Arab Eyes is also available to view on YouTube.Watch Online |
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World War I Battlefield CompanionCreator: American Battle Monuments CommissionThe World War I Battlefield Companion by the American Battle Monuments Commission serves as a guide for those who want to learn more about American involvement in World War I, and see the geographic locations in Europe where major events occurred. From ABMC cemeteries and memorials, to private monuments large and small, more than 50 different stops are highlighted.Download PDF |
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Bringing the Great War HomeTeaching with the Meuse-Argonne American CemeteryCreator: American Battle Monuments CommissionFrom the American Battle Monuments Commission, in conjunction with the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Virginia Tech, Bringing the Great War Home: Teaching with the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery is a free World War I Teacher’s Guide. Available for download via iBook or on the ABMC website, this guide includes lesson plans and ideas developed by teachers to help students better understand the service, experience, and sacrifice of Americans that served and died during the Great War. These lesson plans and lesson ideas cover a range of topics that can be applied in various subject areas, such as history, art, math, and English.Download iBook (iTunes Store), Download on abmc.gov |
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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:
