Canadian History: People and Events

Unit 2: World War I

Instructions: Using the textbook or other resources:

a)Identify or define each of the following figures, events or terms for the specific time frame / unit

b)Explain the historical importance of each figure, event or term for the specific time frame or unit

People and Events should be completed using the chart below. You may use point form in the chart. You should construct a table and fill in information. The most important part is the Historical Significance. It’s the “so what?” that tells us why that person or event is so important.

Figure, Event or Term / Identify / Historical Significance
Robert Borden
Billy Bishop
Sam Hughes
Halifax Explosion
Trench Warfare
Vimy Ridge
Enemy Aliens
Victory Bonds
Convoys
Treaty of Versailles
League of Nations
Passchendaele

Canada’s Military Contributions to World War I

Battle / Date / Description of Battle / Tactics / Strategies / Role of Canadian Soldiers / Troops / Results / Casualties
Ypres
April 1915
Somme
July, 1916
Battle / Date / Description of Battle / Tactics / Strategies / Role of Canadian Soldiers / Troops / Results / Casualties
Vimy Ridge
February, 1917
Passchendaele
October 1917

Do you think military leaders were to blame for the high number of causalities? Explain.

Would soldiers ever be justified in refusing the order to fight? Why or why not?

World War I Scrapbook Assignment

Use the WWI scrapbooks to complete the following questions on a separate piece of paper.

Trench Warfare (p. 8-9)

1. List three reasons why life in the trenches was difficult.

2. Describe "no man's land" and "over the top".

3. Describe the effects of poison gas.

4. How long would men spend in the trenches? How long did they get to rest?

Life in the Front Lines (p. 12-15)

5. What was another name for lice? Why were some of the methods to avoid lice unrealistic for soldiers' in the trenches?

6. What was "trench foot"? How would a soldier get this ailment? How could it be prevented?

7. Examine the articles on page 15.

a) What evidence is there that the Canadians were quite friendly with the enemy during the first war time Christmas in 1914?

b) What evidence is there that the Canadians were much less friendly at Christmas in 1916?

Propaganda (p. 33)

8. Read the section "Enemy Atrocities reported...". What emotions would these stories produce in their readers?

9. Examine the poster, "Daddy, what did you do...". What do you think this "Daddy" did in the war? Who is this poster aimed at?

10. Read the poster, "To the Women of Canada". What is the message of the poster? Its it effective and why / why not?

11. Read the "Under the Defence of the Realm Act". What kind of stories could newspapers NOT published during the war?

Why not, do you think?

Fighting the War on the Homefront (p. 34-35)

12. List three ways how Canadians, young and old, contributed to the war effort.

13. According to the Food Controller 1917, what four things were to be produced, consumed and never wasted? Why?

Women and the War Effort (p. 36-37)

14. Name five ways women contributed to the war effort.

Paying for a War (p. 40-41)

15. What three methods were used to raise money to help pay for the war?

16. In 1918, how much did the war cost Canada per day?

17. My 1919, how much had the war cost Canada in total?

Conscription (p. 42-43)

18. Examine the Enlistment / Casualty rate for 1917. Why would Prime Minister Borden introduce conscription?

19. According to the "Military Service Act", who was eligible for conscription? Who was exempted?

20. Examine the "Wartime Elections Act". Who was granted the vote? Who was denied the vote?

  • You are to assume the role of a Canadian Soldier fighting in the trenches of World War I. In your letter you must include the following information:

(a)Details on one of the four major Canadian battles of WWI.

(b)Comments on the diet of a Soldier.

(c)Conditions in the trenches - mud, lice, rats, dead bodies, etc.

(d)At least five words from the list that soldier’s used at the time.

  • These requirements should be included into your letter so that they actually seem as part of the story that you are weaving together. Do not just throw these criteria into your story, make them flow into the rest of the sentence.

List of Words used During World War I

What it means now / What it meant then
A friend is a / Comrade
Friendship is / Comradeship or fellowship
A horse is / Steed or charger
The enemy is / The foe, the host, the Hun, or Fritz
Danger is / Peril
To conquer is to / Vanquish
To attack is to / Assail
To be brave is / Plucky, staunch, gallant
Bravery considered after the fact is / Valour
The dead on the battlefield are / The fallen
To be nobly enthusiastic is to be / Ardent
The front is / The field
Obedient soldiers are / The brave
Warfare is / Strife
Actions are / Deeds
To die is to / Perish
To show cowardice is to / Swerve
The draft notice is / The summons
To enlist is to / Join the colours
Cowardice results in / Dishonour
Not to complain is to be / Manly
To move quickly is to be / Swift
Nothing is / Naught
Nothing but is / Naught, save
To win is to / Conquer
One’s chest is one’s / Breast
Sleep is / Slumber
The objective of an attack is / The goal
A soldier is a / Warrior
One’s death is one’s / Fate
The sky is / The heavens
Things that glow or shine are / Radiant
The army as a whole is / The legion
What is contemptible is / Base
The legs and arms of young men are / Limbs
Dead bodies constitute / Ashes or dust
The blood of young men is / The red-sweet wine of youth

Format:

Date
Name (who is receiving this letter?)
Address
Greeting (ie. Dear, Sally)
Body of Paragraphs
□ Paragraph #1 ( a brief introduction)
□ Paragraph #2 (life in the trenches)
□ Paragraph #3 (a close call; in the trenches or going “over the top” into battle)
□ Paragraph #4 (what do you think of war?)
□ Paragraph #5 (what do you miss about home?)
□ Paragraph #6 (brief conclusion/farewell)
Closing (ie. Yours truly, )
Signature
Postscript (P.S.) – any afterthoughts or additional information
Criteria for evaluation:
Thoroughly discusses one battle in detail and facts were accurate.
Battle is woven in as part of a flowing story
Trench life was explained accurately and in immense detail.
A soldier’s diet was perfectly described, wow! Did they have to eat that stuff?
All required vocabulary and language words were used as part of a flowing story and in the proper context.
Complete mastery of structuring and communication
Only one or two spelling and grammatical errors and they do not have or make an impact on the expression of ideas and content.
Tremendous, this letter belongs in the CanadianWarMuseum. Is this real?
Fantastic and innovative ideas. Very creative and interesting.
Met and went beyond all expectations for this assignment. /

World War I - Letter Home from the Trenches

Criteria / Level 0
(0-49%) / Level 1
(50-59%) / Level 2
(60-69%) / Level 3
(70-79%) / Level 4
(80-100%)
Knowledge and Understanding /
  • Did not mention any battles
  • Did not mention anything about trench life
  • Did not include information on soldier’s diet.
  • A wartime controversy was included with a very limited degree of effectiveness.
  • No vocab words were included
  • Did not use the required number of language words from the time.
/
  • Mentioned one battle but with very little detail and/or the information was inaccurate.
  • Trench life was mentioned but only in passing.
  • A soldier’s diet was only discussed briefly and/or details were not sufficient.
  • A wartime controversy was included with a limited degree of effectiveness.
  • Only a couple of vocab words and language words were used and were not woven in as part of the story.
/
  • Mentions one battle with little detail and/or the information was inaccurate.
  • Trench life was mentioned but relevant details were not included
  • A soldier’s diet was discussed but details were not sufficient.
  • A wartime controversy was included with a moderate degree of effectiveness.
  • Only a few vocab and language words were used but were not woven in as part of the story.
/
  • Discussed at least one battle in detail and ties it properly into the letter with some clarity and cohesion. Details were sufficient and accurate.
  • Trench life was thoroughly discussed but some details were inaccurate.
  • A soldier’s diet was thoroughly discussed.
  • A wartime controversy was included with a good degree of effectiveness.
  • The required vocab and language words were used within the proper context.
/
  • Thoroughly discusses one battle in detail and facts were accurate.
  • Battle is part of a flowing story
  • Trench life was explained accurately and in immense detail.
  • A soldier’s diet was described. Wow!, did they have to eat that stuff?
  • A wartime controversy was included with a high degree of effectiveness.
  • All required vocab and language words were used as part of a flowing story and in the proper context.

Communication /
  • Poorly structured, poorly written, and very poor spelling.
  • Writing interfered with the delivery of information and main ideas.
/
  • There is a minimal amount of structure and order
  • Numerous spelling and grammatical errors throughout the letter.
  • Writing moderately interfered with the delivery of information and main ideas.
/
  • Somewhat structured, but there is still some difficulty with the flow of information.
  • Spelling mistakes are less frequent, but they still interfere with the communication of the main idea.
/
  • Letter is properly structured.
  • A few spelling mistakes, but they do not interfere with the expression of ideas and content.
  • Well written.
/
  • Complete mastery of structuring and communication
  • Only one or two spelling and grammatical errors and they do not have or make an impact on the expression of ideas and content.

Application /
  • Just used lined or whatever paper was lying around.
  • Very boring letter, did not put any effort into this task
  • ZZZZZ, almost put me to sleep. Not creative.
  • Did not meet required length
/
  • Used fresh paper
  • Still just going through the motions, little innovation of expression of new and exciting ideas.
  • Yawn, not very exciting
  • Not meeting the expected length of assignment.
/
  • Limited effort has been made in making the letter appear authentic
  • A few interesting ideas
  • Approaching the desired length for this assignment.
/
  • Wow, this letter almost looks authentic.
  • Some real interesting ideas.
  • On target for the desired length of assignment.
  • Highly creative.
/
  • Tremendous, this letter belongs in the CanadianWarMuseum. Is this real?
  • Fantastic and innovative ideas. Very creative and interesting.
  • Met and went beyond all expectations for this assignment.