Committee of Public Information

  
Poster from the Committee of Public Information

     By 1917 Woodrow Wilson knew war was inevitable. That made him create the Committee of Public Information. Wilson created this organization to distribute propaganda among American citizens. This organization was created through executive order 2594 on April 13, 1917. The Committee of
Public Information consisted of the chairman George Creel also a few men from Wilson's cabinet such as the Secretary of War Newton D. Baker, Secretary of State Robert Lansing, and Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels.
   When Wilson was re-elected it proved people were still against the war. Wilson
wanted to go to war but needed to change the citizens point of view. The committee would
set up posters across America and created pamphlets in different languages to change the public
eye. The Committee of Public Information would also set up several speeches and rallies to gear
up citizens for war. They would also hold state fairs, create propaganda posters,and have movies created. All of this costed almost $5 million for the taxpayers.
     This organization didn't last long because they were broken up after the Treaty of Versailles on November 11, 1918. Wilson abolished that group on August 21, 1919 under executive order 3154. They were used to gear up citizens for war and just that.

Links & Sources

utk.edu
state.or
imsa.edu

The Story of World War One

    
                                Soldiers of WW1
           World War 1 had four main causes. The causes are militarism, imperialism, nationalism, and alliances. People had a lot of pride for their countries which is nationalism. They were building up their armies and wanting to become the most powerful in the world. European countries also started alliances they vowed to protect each other in times of war. When Francis Ferdinand of the Austria-Hungary empire got assassinated they blamed Serbia, later declaring war on them. Alliances joined the war starting World War 1.
      When the war started Americans wanted nothing to do with the war. Woodrow Wilson wanted the country to follow George Washington's plan of isolationism, but that plan didn't work well. The Germans stopped America from doing that because they knew America was loaning money to England for the war effort.  One of the reasons America entered the war was the sinking of the Lusitania. The Lusitania was a cruise ship heading to England but the Germans blew it up killing 128 American citizens. Another is propaganda. Posters and newspapers were slowly turning American citizens against the Germans, making them look like enemies. The last reason is the Zimmerman Telegram. Germany sent Mexico a telegram telling them that if they joined on the side of the Central Powers then Germany would give Mexico the land they lost during the Mexican-American War. England intercepted the telegram and sent it to Woodrow Wilson. Those events angered Americans which made Wilson ask congress for a declaration of war.
       On November 11, 1918 Germany surrender. The Allied Powers created the Treaty of Versailles. Germany's military was drastically decreased, they lost their foreign colonies, and gave part of their land to France and Poland. The Austria-Hungary Empire broke up into smaller into smaller countries. After the war America returned to isolationism. 

My Two Laws That Changed America

                                             Meat Inspection & Pure Food and Drug Act

 Meat Inspection Act                                                                                                Pure Food & Drug Act

     I think the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act changed history for the food industry. The Meat Inspection Act was passed on June 30, 1906 signed by President Theodore Roosevelt. One of the reasons this law was passed by the book 'The Jungle' by Upton Sinclair. This book showed how the meat industry really packaged it's meat.
     The Pure Food and Drug Act was also passed on 1906. This requires the government to inspect our food for nothing misprinted or poisonous. The government wants to make sure nothing illegal gets passed through our food. This law didn't create the FDA but led to the creation to it.
     I think these two laws really saved plenty of lives. I am glad the muckrakers exposed those companies to let the government act fast. Now I know that these laws are passed I can eat my food without worry. In my opinion these laws cleaned up the food industries and let them know that they have standards dor our food.

Sources

Link 1
Link 2
Link 3

A Splendid Little War

Spanish American War

          Back then people wanted to take over coloinies. There reason was to help the backwards people. I see that as an excuse to gain land. As an undercover reason. The countries take over those lands to gain money, space, and protect their investments. Those countries don't want to look evil and become an enemy to everyone else. Those countries are just trying to be adorable angels. They don't want to be evil.

                                                               The News

I think one of the reasons for the war is the news. It could be through newspaper or television but can still happen. The news mostly focuses on the negatives. They do that to get your attention. Your anger is the way they earn their money and ratings.

W.E.B Du Bois vs Booker T. Washington

Booker T. Washington
Booker T.Washington wanted African Americans to accept prejudice for the time being. He wanted them to elevate for the time being with hard work and education. He thought after all that the White people would fully accept them into society.

W.E.B Du Bois
Bois wanted African Americans to take political action. He wanted to fight for civil rights. He believed a few African American will get their college education and change the law. He called those people the 'talented tenth'.

I believe in what Bois says. Back then people were extremely ignorant. They aren't just going to accept African Americans into society. Those ignorant people need the message loud and clear to realise that accept them as equals.

Welcome

Welcome!