The Lusitania

Explain German attacks on shipping.

Warm-up, learn, try it together, practice, then a quick check. About 15 minutes.

What children learn in Level 25

Germany had a new kind of weapon: submarines, called U-boats. They traveled under water and fired torpedoes at ships heading for Britain.
On May 7, 1915, a U-boat sank the Lusitania, a British passenger ship, near Ireland. Nearly 1,200 people died, including 128 Americans.
Americans were shocked and angry. President Wilson warned Germany, and for a while Germany held back. The United States still stayed out.
In early 1917, Germany began attacking ships again without warning, even American ones. Americans feared for the safety of their ships and sailors.
Then came a secret message from Germany, the Zimmermann telegram. It asked Mexico to join Germany against the United States. Britain found it and shared it. Americans were furious.

Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social Studies:

SS5H2.a — Explain how German attacks on U.S. shipping during the war in Europe (1914-1917) ultimately led the U.S. to join the fight against Germany; include the sinking of the Lusitania and concerns over safety of U.S. ships, U.S. contributions to the war, and the impact of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.