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U-boats in American Public Consciousness in WWI
Album Description
This lesson is about the role u-boats played in shaping American public opinion during WWI. Or, rather, it's about how seriously American newspapers portrayed the threat posed by u-boats off the coast.
The newspaper headlines and stories form the core set of documents for this lesson; the images of the captured u-boat in New York are included to show students how small and fragile these early submarines were. Like the newspaper albums created earlier in the week, I think these newspapers are best used to show popular opinions. They also show how close the war was to America--not over there across the sea, but right off Nantucket.
The LOC's primary source analysis tool would be a good starting point for the submarine images and also for the newspapers--there more than just u-boats there. Students could usefully reflect on what else made the news in 1916 or other date. They could explore change over time--in Americans' perspective on the Germans and u-boats and much else. Discussion might then move on to the questions below.
Questions to explore include:
- How do different newspapers, from the same date, cover the same or similar news?
- How are the newspapers' accounts similar/different before American involvement in WWI compared to accounts published after the American declaration of war?
- Are these newspaper trustworthy sources for their readers? For you the historian? Why or why not?
- Do you discern any ulterior motive or editorial viewpoint in the newspapers' stories?
- Why would or why wouldn't American have been drawn to read these newspaper stories?
- Do the newspaper accounts line up with the images of u-boats at the end of the album?
- How do these primary sources fit into the narrative of VUS 9b?
This album was inspired by my son, John, who is seven and really interested in submarines this week. 
9 - 12 Social Studies/History
New-York tribune (New York [N.Y.]), October 9, 1916
Teaching Notes
October 9, 1916.
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/sn83030214/1916-10-09/ed-1/
Reference note
Contributor Names: Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Created / Published: New York [N.Y.], October 9, 1916
Subject Headings: - New York (N.Y.)--Newspapers
- New York County (N.Y.)--Newspapers
- New York (State)--New York
- New York (State)--New York County
- United States--New York--New York--New York
Genre: Newspapers
Notes: - Daily, Dec. 7, 1879-1924
- Vol. 26, no. 7,802 (Apr. 10, 1866)-v. 83, no. 28,247 (Mar. 18, 1924).
- Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International, and Recordak.
- Archived issues are available in digital format as part of the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
- Also available in digital format on the Library of Congress website.
- Merged with: New York herald (New York, N.Y. : 1920); to form: New York herald, New York tribune.
- Evening ed.: Evening edition of the tribune, 1866.
- Semiweekly ed.: New-York tribune (New York, N.Y. : 1866 : Semiweekly), 1866-.
- Triweekly eds.: New-York tri-weekly tribune, -1903, and: New York tribune (New York, N.Y. : 1903), 1903-.
- Weekly ed.: New-York tribune (New York, N.Y. : 1866 : Weekly), 1866-.
- New York herald (New York, N.Y. : 1920) 2576-6953 (DLC)sn 83045774 (OCoLC)9630227
- New York herald, New York tribune (DLC)sn 83030215 (OCoLC)9405828
The Washington times (Washington [D.C.]), October 9, 1916, (HOME EDITION)
Teaching Notes
October 9, 1916.
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/sn84026749/1916-10-09/ed-1/
Reference note
Contributor Names: Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Created / Published: Washington [D.C.], October 9, 1916
Subject Headings: - Washington (D.C.)--Newspapers
- Washington (D.C.)
- United States--District of Columbia--Washington
Genre: Newspapers
Notes: - Daily (except Sunday), -Nov. 18, 1922; Apr. 16, 1923-Jan. 31, 1939
- No. 3094 (Dec. 1, 1902)-no. 17956 (Jan. 31, 1939).
- Extra edition issued Nov. 7, 1918 for the end of World War I.
- On Sunday published as: Washington times-herald, Nov. 19, 1922-Apr. 15, 1923.
- Also issued on microfilm from the Library of Congress, Photoduplication Service.
- Archived issues are available in digital format as part of the Library of Congress Chronicling American online collection.
- Washington herald (Washington, D.C.) (DLC)sn 83045433
- Times herald (Washington, D.C.) (DLC)sn 85040694
New-York tribune (New York [N.Y.]), June 4, 1918
Teaching Notes
June 4, 1918.
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/sn83030214/1918-06-04/ed-1/
Reference note
Contributor Names: Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Created / Published: New York [N.Y.], June 4, 1918
Subject Headings: - New York (N.Y.)--Newspapers
- New York County (N.Y.)--Newspapers
- New York (State)--New York
- New York (State)--New York County
- United States--New York--New York--New York
Genre: Newspapers
Notes: - Daily, Dec. 7, 1879-1924
- Vol. 26, no. 7,802 (Apr. 10, 1866)-v. 83, no. 28,247 (Mar. 18, 1924).
- Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International, and Recordak.
- Archived issues are available in digital format as part of the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
- Also available in digital format on the Library of Congress website.
- Merged with: New York herald (New York, N.Y. : 1920); to form: New York herald, New York tribune.
- Evening ed.: Evening edition of the tribune, 1866.
- Semiweekly ed.: New-York tribune (New York, N.Y. : 1866 : Semiweekly), 1866-.
- Triweekly eds.: New-York tri-weekly tribune, -1903, and: New York tribune (New York, N.Y. : 1903), 1903-.
- Weekly ed.: New-York tribune (New York, N.Y. : 1866 : Weekly), 1866-.
- New York herald (New York, N.Y. : 1920) 2576-6953 (DLC)sn 83045774 (OCoLC)9630227
- New York herald, New York tribune (DLC)sn 83030215 (OCoLC)9405828
New-York tribune (New York [N.Y.]), June 5, 1918
Teaching Notes
June 5, 1918.
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/sn83030214/1918-06-05/ed-1/
Reference note
Contributor Names: Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Created / Published: New York [N.Y.], June 5, 1918
Subject Headings: - New York (N.Y.)--Newspapers
- New York County (N.Y.)--Newspapers
- New York (State)--New York
- New York (State)--New York County
- United States--New York--New York--New York
Genre: Newspapers
Notes: - Daily, Dec. 7, 1879-1924
- Vol. 26, no. 7,802 (Apr. 10, 1866)-v. 83, no. 28,247 (Mar. 18, 1924).
- Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International, and Recordak.
- Archived issues are available in digital format as part of the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
- Also available in digital format on the Library of Congress website.
- Merged with: New York herald (New York, N.Y. : 1920); to form: New York herald, New York tribune.
- Evening ed.: Evening edition of the tribune, 1866.
- Semiweekly ed.: New-York tribune (New York, N.Y. : 1866 : Semiweekly), 1866-.
- Triweekly eds.: New-York tri-weekly tribune, -1903, and: New York tribune (New York, N.Y. : 1903), 1903-.
- Weekly ed.: New-York tribune (New York, N.Y. : 1866 : Weekly), 1866-.
- New York herald (New York, N.Y. : 1920) 2576-6953 (DLC)sn 83045774 (OCoLC)9630227
- New York herald, New York tribune (DLC)sn 83030215 (OCoLC)9405828
The Washington times (Washington [D.C.]), June 4, 1918, (FINAL EDITION)
Teaching Notes
June 4, 1918.
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/sn84026749/1918-06-04/ed-1/
Reference note
Contributor Names: Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Created / Published: Washington [D.C.], June 4, 1918
Subject Headings: - Washington (D.C.)--Newspapers
- Washington (D.C.)
- United States--District of Columbia--Washington
Genre: Newspapers
Notes: - Daily (except Sunday), -Nov. 18, 1922; Apr. 16, 1923-Jan. 31, 1939
- No. 3094 (Dec. 1, 1902)-no. 17956 (Jan. 31, 1939).
- Extra edition issued Nov. 7, 1918 for the end of World War I.
- On Sunday published as: Washington times-herald, Nov. 19, 1922-Apr. 15, 1923.
- Also issued on microfilm from the Library of Congress, Photoduplication Service.
- Archived issues are available in digital format as part of the Library of Congress Chronicling American online collection.
- Washington herald (Washington, D.C.) (DLC)sn 83045433
- Times herald (Washington, D.C.) (DLC)sn 85040694
Jackies on U-Boat
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/2014705739/
Reference note
Summary: Photograph shows the SM UC-5, a German Type UC I minelayer submarine (U-boat) which was captured by the Allies, brought to New York City and renamed U-Buy-a-Bond. The submarine took part in the Liberty Loan Parade in New York City on October 25, 1917. (Source: Flickr Commons project, 2015)
Contributor Names: Bain News Service, publisher
Created / Published: [1917]
Subject Headings: - World War, 1914-1918
Genre: Glass negatives
Notes: - Title from data provided by the Bain News Service on the negative.
- Forms part of: George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress).
- General information about the George Grantham Bain Collection is available at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.ggbain
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Digital Id: ggbain 25569 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.25569
German U-Boat
Reference link: http://www.loc.gov/item/2014705738/
Reference note
Summary: Photograph shows the SM UC-5, a German Type UC I minelayer submarine (U-boat) which was captured by the Allies, brought to New York City and renamed U-Buy-a-Bond. The submarine, shown in Central Park, took part in the Liberty Loan Parade in New York City on October 25, 1917. (Source: Flickr Commons project, 2015)
Contributor Names: Bain News Service, publisher
Created / Published: [1917]
Subject Headings: - World War, 1914-1918
Genre: Glass negatives
Notes: - Title from data provided by the Bain News Service on the negative.
- Forms part of: George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress).
- General information about the George Grantham Bain Collection is available at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.ggbain
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Digital Id: ggbain 25567 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.25567