You will create three entries in the journal of a soldier fighting in either the Spanish-American War or World War I.
Your journal must:
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be written from the point of view of the soldier
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use accurate historical information
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display creative touches to make the journal look and sound authentic
In addition, your journal entries must address these topics:
Entry 1: America Enters the War
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introduce your character,
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identify at least three reasons why the United States is involved in the war
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explain your feelings about being sent to fight in the war
Entry 2: Fighting the War
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explain your role in the armed forces
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describe at least four important aspects in the day-to-day life of a soldier
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include two sketches showing a soldier's life
Entry 3: The War Ends
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discuss the factors that led to victory
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predict what the United States will gain from its involvement in the war
Use the resources below in creating your journals.
Spanish-American War
The Age of Imperialism
- This site from Small Planet covers many of the issues raised as America grew
into a world power. Central to the site is the section on the Spanish-American
War, which contains information and links related to the
Maine, the war
itself, and the results of the conflict.
Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War
- This PBS site is the companion to the
documentary of the same name. The site includes a general history of the war, a
timeline, details on yellow journalism, recent scholarship on the conflict, and
links to other sites.
Spanish-American War Centennial Website
- This informative site was created by private individuals and contains various
subtopics concerning the conflict. Firsthand accounts are available, as is
information from the many fronts of the war. Parts of the site may still be
under construction.
World War I
Doughboy Center -
Produced by the Great War Society, this site contains all sorts of information
about the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). The site has subtopics covering
the history and operations of the AEF, actual members of the forces, and the
experiences of a doughboy.
The First World War
- This site is part of the Spartacus Internet Encyclopedia and contains a great
deal of information about the American war effort. Check out the Spartacus site
on
trench war for
extensive—and fascinating—information on the horrifying conditions that
soldiers faced.
Trenches on the Web - This is one of
the best sites online for World War I history, and the most popular among
search engines. According to the author, "these pages contain information on
the people, places, and events that comprised one of the worst calamities of
modern history."
