Title: Propaganda & The Zimmermann Note
Type of teaching unit:
Lesson Plan
Grade Level: 8,
(Can be used and adapted at High School Levels, 9-12)
Time Frame: one
day
Subject Matter:
Teacher Information:
Peggy Emling and Steve
Moss
pemling@ecusd7.org and smoss@ecusd7.org
Liberty and Lincoln Middle Schools
Edwardsville, Illinois
AAM affiliation: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Lesson Plan Description and Rationale:
During times of international
conflict, countries will sometimes resort to extreme
measures to accomplish their national interests. Propaganda has been
a persuasion
tool used for centuries to promote national goals or attempt to destroy that
of the
enemy. The Zimmermann Note possibly was one such tool.
Resources:
 |
Bernays, Edward L.” Edward L. Bernays Papers. Propaganda and Impropaganda.” 1891-1995. Prosperity and Thrift: The Coolidge Era and the Consumer Economy, 1921-1929. [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=amrlm&fileName=me17page.db&recNum=0] [Speech and Article File, 1919-1962. Container 422: 1919-1934 Folder: "Propaganda and Impropaganda," June 1928] (April 2004). |
 |
[http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/zimmermann.htm] Primary Documents: Zimmermann Telegram, 19 January 1917 |
 |
Who's who: Arthur Zimmerman |
State Standards:
16.A.3b Make inferences about historical events and eras using historical maps and other historical sources.
16.A.3a Describe how
historians use models for organizing historical interpretation
(e.g., biographies, political events, issues and conflicts.)
5.C.2b Prepare and deliver oral presentations based on inquiry or research.
Methods:
Introduce lesson with an Edward L. Bernays Paper on propaganda
using page three of the document. What is a propagandist?
Go to the link and read the translation of the Zimmermann Note.
Determine if this could be British propaganda based on allied
need.
What was to be gained by the allies?
What was in it for the Germans?
Who decoded the message? Why was this possibly suspicious?
What words or phrases might have caused Americans to become
increasingly hostile toward the Germans?
Assessment:
Participation and topic questions included on the Unit test.
Link to translation of the note
Keywords: World War I, propaganda, Zimmermann Note.