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The World Remade

Driving Question: How did World War I remake society?

World War I left behind more than wreckage. From fragile peace talks to sweeping revolutions, it pushed people to imagine new ways to organize on global, national, and local scales.

Learning Objectives

  1. Evaluate how different nations approached the peace process after World War I.
  2. Use the historical thinking practice of comparison to analyze the causes and outcomes of the Mexican and Russian Revolutions in the context of World War I.

Vocab Terms:

  • Bolsheviks
  • casualty
  • diplomacy
  • disillusion
  • ethnic
  • genocide
  • persecution
STEP 1

Opener: The World Remade

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 2 of the Lesson 6.5 Teaching Guide Locked .

How did people cope with the end of the First World War? While many hoped this would be the first and last total war, the uneasy peace that ended the war didn’t hold for long.

STEP 2

An Uncertain Peace

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 2 of the Lesson 6.5 Teaching Guide Locked .

Looking to save some paper while implementing this fun simulation? Look at the modifications teachers made in the Forum thread World War I Peace Talks Cards – Less Paper External link .

The end of World War I didn’t mean the end of conflict. The peace process created new tensions and raised big questions about justice, power, and responsibility.

STEP 3

Atrocity in the Ottoman Empire

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 6 of the Lesson 6.5 Teaching Guide Locked .

This video covers difficult content. Think about how to approach hard topics with your students by taking a look this guide on Teaching Sensitive Topics in Social Studies.

World War I brought devastation not only to armies, but also to entire communities. The Armenian Genocide shows how the war intensified violence against civilians and altered the social fabric of empires.

Armenian Genocide External link

Amid the chaos of World War I, the Ottoman Empire turned against its Armenian citizens. Learn how war created the conditions for one of history’s first modern genocides.

Key Ideas

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

Social Revolutions

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 7 of the Lesson 6.5 Teaching Guide Locked .

Want to provide your students with structured feedback on their historical comparison skills? The Comparison Feedback Form is perfect for this!

In the tumult of global conflict, revolutionaries in Mexico and Russia seized the moment to push for change. These materials will guide you through an investigation of how war accelerated calls for justice and reform.

STEP 5

Closer: The World Remade

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 12 of the Lesson 6.5 Teaching Guide Locked .

Closers like the Unit Notebook are a great opportunity to assess student understanding of the lesson. Read more about in the OER Project Assessment Guide.

In this unit, you explored how the First World War remade societies, sparked revolutions, and shifted global power. Now, reflect on these transformations and how they continue to shape our world today.

Extension Materials
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These materials broaden the story of World War I’s legacy. Examine revolutions, resistance, and shifting borders to evaluate how deeply the war transformed the world.
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Continuity and Change in a World at War

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 13 of the Lesson 6.5 Teaching Guide Locked .

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Ripples of War

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 16 of the Lesson 6.5 Teaching Guide Locked .

World War I set off upheaval across the globe. These stories from Southeast Asia and the Middle East show how the war’s impact reached societies far from the front lines.

The Middle East and World War I External link

Imperialism, religious identity, and nationalism collided during World War I, laying the groundwork for the political and social landscape of the modern Middle East.

Key Ideas

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

Southeast Asia and World War I External link

Southeast Asia was a complicated place in 1914. Competing empires, religious ties, and shifting loyalties all played a role in sparking an uprising in Singapore.

Key Ideas

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