Part 1: Even though the United States did not directly participate in World War I until the last eighteen months of the conflict, it had a profound effect on American society. Part 1 of this two-part lecture will begin by discussing how the war started in Europe. It then will detail the complicated steps leading to U.S. involvement, including Galveston’s role. Short videos of interviews of WWI veterans will provide additional insight into the nature of “The Great War,” as it was called at the time. (Limit 40)

Part 2: The main focus of this lecture will be how the war affected the U.S. at home. Women’s roles in society, race relations, civil liberties, and even dining habits felt the impact of World War I. Students will have the opportunity to read a short primary source document dealing with how the war affected immigrants. This lecture will conclude with a discussion of the Treaty of Versailles that ended this war but likely paved the way for future conflicts. (Limit 40)