World War I and The Art of War: Posters from the Collection of Oscar Jacobson
Glossary
Underlined words denote Building Academic Vocabulary from the Oklahoma Department of Education.
abdicate: To abandon or step down from power.
alliance: A formal agreement between two or more nations to support each other.
Allied Powers: Great Britain, France, Russia, the United States, Italy, and Japan; fought against the Central Powers in WWI.
anonymous: Unknown.
arms race: A period in time where two or more nations create or manufacture military technology and equipment, usually in response to a rivalry with each other.
artillery: Large caliber mobile guns that fire explosive shells and cause considerable damage.
assassination: The murder of a monarch, political leader, or significant figure.
Atlantic Ocean: The world's second-largest ocean. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Antarctic in the south between the eastern Americas and Western Europe and Africa.
blockade: The isolation of a nation, area, city, or harbor by hostile ships or forces in order to prevent the entrance and exit of traffic and commerce.
bonds: Debt securities issued by a government for the purpose of financing military operations during times of war.
borders: A line separating two political or geographical areas, especially countries; a boundary.
cavalry: Soldiers on horseback.
Central Powers: The alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire (Turkey).
chlorine gas : One of several gases used in chemical warfare during WWI.
coalition : A unified alliance between different groups to achieve a common goal.
conflict : A serious disagreement or argument, controversy, or battle.
conscription: A government policy requiring citizens to perform military service, or draft.
continent: One of the main landmasses of the globe.
dreadnought: A heavily armed battleship.
doughboy: The nickname for US soldiers during WWI.
dug-outs: The living spaces made in a trench.
Eastern front: The part of WWI fought in Eastern Europe.
economy: The management of the resources of a community or country.
Europe: A continent in the west part of the landmass lying between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, separated from Asia by the Ural Mountains on the east and the Caucasus Mountains and the Black and Caspian seas on the southeast.
frontline: The place where the armies from each side met and most of the fighting took place.
global: Covering, influencing, or relating to the whole world.
imperialism: The policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies.
industry and manufacturing: Trade or manufacturing in general; the making or producing of goods.
infantry: Soldiers who fought on foot.
Lusitania: British passenger ship that was sunk by a German U-boat in 1915.
media age: The era of photos, newspapers, radio, and television.
mustard gas: One of several gases used in chemical warfare during WWI, mostly used on the western front.
nationalism: Loyalty and devotion to a nation; exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests.
Naval Arms Race: The competition between Germany and Britain to out-build each other's navy.
No-Man's Land: The territory between the Allied and German trenches on the western front.
patriotism: The love for or devotion to one's country.
primary sources : A source, (newspaper, photo, journal, letter, etc.), that is from the time period.
propaganda: Information given to show something in a biased way.
ration: A fixed amount of a commodity officially allowed to each person during a time of shortage, as in wartime.
recruit: To enlist someone in the armed forces.
secondary sources: A source that was created later by someone who did not experience firsthand or participate in the events or conditions you're researching.
Sedition Act of 1918: This act made it against the law to write or speak badly about the United States, or speak ill of its position in the war.
Selective Service Act : This act required all men in the US between the ages of twenty-one and thirty to register for military service. (Today, almost all male US citizens and male immigrants ages eighteen to twenty-five, are required to register with the Selective Service.)
timeline: A linear representation of important events in the order in which they occurred.
trench: Fortification; a long, narrow excavation in the ground, the earth from which is placed in front of the trench to serve as a shelter from enemy fire or attack.
trench warfare: When two sides fight each other from opposing trenches.
Western front: The stretch of land in France and Belgium that saw much of the fighting in WWI.
World War I: A war fought from 1914 to 1918 between the Allies, notably Britain, France, Russia, and Italy, and the Central powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire.
