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The First Total War

Driving Question: How Was World War I different from previous conflicts?

World War I was more than a battlefield—it was a global experience. It blurred the line between home and front, and changed what war looked and felt like.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Create arguments using historical evidence to support claims and communicate conclusions through informal writing.
  2. Use evidence to understand key events and developments of World War I and evaluate how the conflict affected both soldiers and civilians.
  3. Compare two graphic biographies to support, extend, or challenge the overarching narratives of this period.
STEP 1

Opener: The First Total War

Engage with the complex causes of World War I, using course materials to support claims with evidence. This short writing activity will help prepare you to craft strong historical arguments.

STEP 2

Events of World War I

Understanding what happened during World War I is key to understanding its effects. Follow the key events of the First World War—where it was fought, how it escalated, and why it became one of history’s deadliest conflicts.

STEP 3

What Is Total War?

Beyond the battlefields, World War I reached deep into people’s homes, jobs, and daily lives. These materials will help you understand what made this war “total” and why its impact was truly global.

Britain and World War I External link

The First World War transformed British society. Nick Dennis explores why Britain entered the conflict and how people in Britain experienced the war.

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
STEP 4

Living in Total War

Comparing the lives of two very different women who lived during World War I will offer insight into the emotional and social toll of total war on individuals from different backgrounds.

Extension Materials
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These extension materials offer a deeper look at World War I’s global scale and lasting impact. Explore often-overlooked regions and technologies that reveal new dimensions of the first total war.
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Southeast Asia and the Middle East in World War I

Learn how World War I shaped regions far beyond Europe. Through two videos, you’ll examine how colonial powers mobilized people and resources in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, and how those regions responded to the pressures and promises of total war.

Southeast Asia and World War I External link

The outcome of World War I wasn’t decided in Southeast Asia. But it was a world war, and it had significant impacts on the region.

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.

The Middle East and World War I External link

The First World War helped lay the foundations for the modern Middle East. Imperialism, religion, and nationalism all played a role in shaping the region during this conflict.

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
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Technologies of World War I

These short videos reveal how new technologies transformed warfare during World War I. From gas masks to trench tools, you’ll learn how industrial innovations changed how wars were fought—and how soldiers survived.

British Gas Hood External link

Trench warfare in the First World War was horrific enough, but mustard gas really sent it over the top. In this short video, Andrew Wallis, of the Guards Museum in London, exhibits the shockingly inadequate gas hoods that British soldiers relied on to survive the horrors of chemical warfare.

Trench-fighting-tools External link

World War I wasn’t just fought with big machines and long-range guns. This short video shows the brutal hand-to-hand weapons used in trench combat on the front lines.