America in World I Facts & Worksheets

When World War I broke out, the United States of America was neutral. However, German hostilities eventually forced the US president to declare war against the country, thus officially joining the World War.

See the fact file below for more information on America in World War I, or you can download our 27-page America in World War I worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

REASON FOR THE WAR

• The rising tension between French and British colonizers created tension among the countries affected, such as Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire, which led to the building of alliances. Within this, Serbian Nationalism arose.
• This small territory forced itself out of Austria-Hungary, leading to the assassination of the Archduke of Austria in 1914 by a Bosnian Serb. Germany supported Austria’s declaration of war, thus triggering the conflict between the Allied and Central Powers.
• Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire (the Central Powers) engaged in combat with Canada, Japan, the United States, France, Russia, Italy, Great Britain, and Romania (the Allied Powers).

AMERICAN NEUTRALITY

• On August 4, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson formally declared the United States to be neutral in World War I, supported by the vast majority of Americans.
• Wilson’s early optimism that the United States might be “impartial in thought and action” was quickly jeopardized by Germany’s attempt to quarantine the British Isles.
• The United States and Germany became tense after numerous American ships headed to Britain were damaged or sunk by German mines. 
• Following Germany’s sinking of the Lusitania in May 1915, resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 passengers, including 128 Americans, public opinion started to turn away from neutrality. 
• President Wilson maintained his neutral stance until 1917, when the British relayed an intercepted message from Germany.
• The telegram sent by Germany promised to help Mexico recover the territory it had lost during the 1840s, including Texas, New Mexico, California, and Arizona. It also resumed its suspended unrestricted submarine warfare against enemy vessels. This was the last provocation against America.
• It was evident Germany wanted Mexico to keep the Americans busy while the former continued the war in Europe. However, Mexico turned down the offer and remained neutral.
• Despite the philosophical defense of staying out of foreign conflicts because of the gruesome reality of three years of trench warfare in Europe on the eve of the United States’ entry into World War I, President Wilson dared not ignore the telegram as it threatened national security.

AMERICA JOINS THE WAR

• Late in March 1917, Germany sank four additional American merchant ships, and on April 2, President Wilson testified before Congress and urged the United States to declare war on Germany. 
• By a vote of 82 to 6, the Senate decided to go to war with Germany on April 4. 
• The House of Representatives approved the declaration two days later with an overwhelming vote of 373 to 50, and America effectively joined World War I.
• The first 14,000 American infantry soldiers arrived in France on June 26, 1917, to start combat training. The entry of America’s well-supplied men into the conflict was a crucial turning point in the war after more than three years of deadly stalemate along the Western Front.
• More than four million American soldiers had served on the front lines in Western Europe by the time the war ended on November 11, 1918, with approximately 50,000 dying.

PEACE AND AFTERMATH

• The tides had changed by the fall of 1918, and it was obvious that the Allies would win the war. Turkey and Bulgaria were the next two to surrender, ending the seven-century-old Ottoman Empire. 
• Faced with starvation and civil strife, Austria-Hungary signed an armistice deal, dividing the union into many smaller nations and ending the Hapsburg Empire. 
• When Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated, Germany was on the edge of chaos and civil war. As a result, the nation became a republic, and Chancellor Friedrich Ebert requested an armistice from the Allies. The combat finally ended.
• Following months of discussions at the Paris Peace Conference, the Treaty of Versailles was finally agreed upon in June 1919. Germany would never again be a military threat to Britain or France, thanks to the treaty. Its famed “war guilt clause” declared Germany at fault for starting the war. The pact also required Germany to make heavy reparations and forfeit 25,000 square kilometers of its territory. 
• Based on Wilson’s Fourteen Points, the Germans had anticipated a seat at the bargaining table; instead, they were reduced to vehement protest, referring to the Treaty as a “diktat,” a decree imposed without consent.

LEGACY OF THE WAR

• The world’s major industrial powers finally joined the war, which started with the assassination of one man and ended with millions of casualties. 
• Beyond the impacted individuals and the affected nations, America underwent major and long-lasting changes as a result of World War I.
• New industries and creative approaches to treating illness and handicaps were created as a result of wartime technologies and medical advancements.
• Due to their contributions to the war effort, women and minorities gained the right to vote, and society became more aware of civil rights issues.

WWI AMERICAN HEROES

ALVIN YORK

• Despite entering the war as a conscientious objector, Sergeant Alvin York was reportedly referred to be the “greatest civilian soldier” of World War I. 
• York, a very religious man from the quiet mountain community of Pall Mall, Tennessee, first objected to serving because he believed that violence was incompatible with faith.
• In total, York and his men seized 132 enemy soldiers, and it’s possible that he alone killed 20 German soldiers. He received multiple commendations for his gallantry, including the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor, for his services. 

JACK CORNWELL

• A 17-year-old sailor named Jack Cornwell, also known as “Jutland Jack,” perished during the Engagement of Jutland, the largest maritime battle of World War I. 
• He received the Victoria Cross, the highest honor bestowed by Britain for acts of exceptional courage in combat, for his bravery during the conflict.

FLORA SANDES

• Flores Sandes, the only British woman to fight in World War I, was the youngest, convention-defying daughter of an Irish family. Sandes grew up appreciating pastimes like horseback riding and shooting. 
• She went to Serbia when World War I started and joined the Red Cross, but a Serbian soldier who saw her on the trip advised her to enlist as a soldier rather than a nurse.

JULIA CATHERINE STIMSON

• The American nurse Julia Catherine Stimson dedicated her military career to saving as many lives as she could, and as a result, she became the first woman in the United States to hold the rank of major in the US Army. 
• Although Stimson wanted to be a doctor, her parents urged her to think about becoming a nurse. Stimson joined the Army Nurse Corps in 1917, serving as Base Hospital 21’s chief nurse after the United States entered the war.

EDOUARD IZAC

• On May 31, 1918, a German submarine torpedoed Navy commander Edouard Izac’s ship, the USS President Lincoln, as it was sailing close to the French coast. He was taken prisoner and thus used his German-speaking skills to collect information on German submarine operations.
• He received the Medal of Honor in 1920 and spent a number of years in Congress, even though his knowledge finally turned out to be of limited importance so late in the war.
• He was the final living World War I Medal of Honor recipient at the time of his passing in 1990.

America in World War I Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about America in World War I across 27 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about America in World War I, When World War I broke out, the United States of America was neutral. However, German hostilities eventually forced the US president to declare war against the country, thus officially joining the World War.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. America in WWI Facts
2. WWI Timeline
3. Countries Involved
4. Woodrow Wilson
5. The Lost Battalion
6. American Aces
7. Heroic Qualities
8. Poster for Enlistment
9. Shell Shock
10. Effects of War
11. America and the World

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the United States enter World War 1?

The United States officially entered World War 1 on April 6, 1917, after several years of remaining neutral.

What prompted the United States to enter World War 1?

The United States entered World War 1 after several incidents, including the sinking of the passenger ship Lusitania by a German submarine in 1915 and the interception of the Zimmermann Telegram in 1917, in which Germany proposed an alliance with Mexico against the United States.

What was the role of the United States in World War 1?

The United States played a significant role in World War 1, providing troops, supplies, and financial support to the Allied powers. American forces were involved in several major battles, including the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in 1918, which was a turning point in the war.

How did World War 1 affect the United States?

World War 1 had a profound impact on the United States, both domestically and internationally. The war led to the expansion of the federal government and the growth of the U.S. military. It also contributed to the rise of the United States as a world power and paved the way for U.S. involvement in World War 2.

When did World War 1 end?

World War 1 officially ended on November 11, 1918, with the signing of the Armistice of Compiegne between the Allies and Germany. The war resulted in the defeat of the Central Powers and the restructuring of Europe, leading to the formation of new nation-states and the dissolution of empires.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

<a href="https://kidskonnect.com/history/america-in-world-i/">America in World I Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com</a> - KidsKonnect, February 1, 2023

Link will appear as America in World I Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, February 1, 2023