Defining US: The American Experience
FCPS Teaching American History Grant
Subject: US/VA History
Prepared by: Nora Bowers and Jennifer Saunders
Grade: 11
School: Interagency Alternative
Schools
Title: National Debate over Treaty Ratification
Instructional Time: 1 block (90 minutes)
PART I: CONTEXT
1. Essential Learning:
War has long-lasting consequences.
Peace is not easily brokered.
Individuals differ in their world view.
2. Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL)
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the emerging role of the United States
in world affairs and key domestic events after 1890 by
b) Evaluating the national debate over treaty ratification and the League of
Nations
3. Fairfax County Program of Studies
Benchmark 9.2: The student analyzes and examines the significance of World
War I.
C. Evaluate the national debate over treaty ratification and US participation in the
League of Nations
D. Identify the consequences of the Treaty of Versailles (United States Senate
does not ratify)
4. National History Standard:
Historical analysis and interpretation- including the ability to compare and
contrast different experiences, beliefs, motives, traditions, hopes, and fears of
people from various groups and backgrounds, and at various times in the past and
present; to analyze how these different motives, interests, beliefs, hopes, and fears
influenced people’s behaviors; to compare the different perspectives included in
different stories about historical people and events; to compare historical fiction
and documentary sources about a particular era or event; and to analyze the
historical accuracy of fictional accounts.
5. Learning Strategy Objectives
 Cooperate- The students will work together in groups to analyze the
political cartoons, and each student will have a specific role in the process,
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Use Imagery- The students will imagine the images found in the political
cartoons to learn the United States reaction to the Versailles Treaty and the
League of Nations
Make Inferences-The students will make inferences about the United
States reaction to the Versailles Treaty and the League of Nations by
examining the political cartoons,
Make Predictions- At the end of the lesson students will be asked to make
predictions concerning the impact on the United States decision to reject
the treaty.
6. Connection to TAH grant:
Pedagogy: Using primary resources (political cartoons) to teach historical events.
Use of Internet for historical research. Use of quotations to encourage
examination of a historical event.
PART II:
Assessment
Informal:
 Teacher monitoring of cooperate groups
 Journal Entry/Exit ticket
 Class participation/discussion
Formal:
 Student written responses to the interpretation of the political cartoons
Instructional Strategies
1. Have students briefly summarize the main points of the Versailles Treaty as a review
of the previous lesson. Explain that Wilson now must have the United States Senate
approve this treaty in order for the United States to participate in the League of Nations.
2. Provide a little bit of background to aid students with the political cartoon analysis.
Briefly review/discuss the following with the class:
 Process of ratifying a treaty (Senate must approve)
 What influences Senator’s votes? (public opinion, party affiliation)
 What would be some reasons to ratify the treaty? (have class share opinions)
 What would be some reasons to be against the treaty? (have class share opinions)
3. Break class into groups of four. You can decide if you want to give all of the groups
the same cartoon or different cartoons (Several examples with the website have been
included in the attachments labeled Political Cartoons. You can select which cartoons
would be appropriate for you class.) to examine. Give each student a political cartoon and
the Political Cartoon Analysis Worksheet (Student Handout#1).
4. Have the students decide on which of the following roles they will accept in order to
finish the assignment.
 Examiners (2): These students will examine the cartoon and point out words,
symbols, cartoon caption/title, people, or objects seen in the cartoon.
 Researcher (1): This student will use his/her textbook, Internet etc. to look up any
word, person, phrase, that may be unfamiliar to the group.
 Presenter (1): This student will be responsible for presenting the interpretation of
the cartoon to the class.
5. All students are responsible for recording the result of the group’s discussion on each
of their Political Cartoon Analysis Worksheet.
6. Have the presenter from each group explain the message of his/her group’s cartoon.
While the presenter is doing this have a transparency projected of the cartoon so the class
can view the cartoon while the presenter is discussing it.
7. After the groups have presented their work, have the class vote on whether to ratify
the treaty or not. Then inform the class that the United States Senate did not ratify the
treaty.
8. Either as an exit ticket or journal assignment have students answer the following
questions:
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What will be the impact of the United States decision to not join the League of
Nations?
Define the word inseminate
Consider this quote:
“This war has not ended war, and no war can end war, because war does not inseminate
the spirit of peace, but the spirit of revenge.”
British writer Walter L. George, 1919
Predict what will be some of the consequences of World War I.
Materials/Resources to be used:
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Overhead machine
Transparencies of selected political cartoons
Copies of selected political cartoons (see attachments)
Political Cartoon Analysis Worksheet ( NARA analysis worksheet)
Access to Internet/Textbook for reference
Differentiation:
Gifted and Talented
The students can create a political cartoon that presents an opposite or differing
viewpoint than the political cartoon they were assigned.
Special Education
Consider groupings of students-pair different strengths together.
ESOL
Select cartoons that are straightforward and contain more images/symbols than
words/phrases.
Note to teacher: All students often find cartoon symbols difficult to interpret so they may
need clues or additional help while they are working on interpreting them.
Attachments:
see following pages
POLITICAL CARTOON SELECTIONS
HOMEPAGE where cartoons were found:
http://history.acusd.edu/gen/text/versaillestreaty/vercontents.html
The following are thumbnail views of the cartoons. If you go to the website listed above,
or the specific website listed under each picture, you will be able to access a larger,
clearer copy of the cartoon.
http://history.acusd.edu/gen/WW1Pics/81479.GIF
http://history.acusd.edu/gen/WW2Pics/81481.GIF
http://history.acusd.edu/gen/WW1Pics/81578.jpg
http://history.acusd.edu/gen/WW1Pics/81579.jpg
http://history.acusd.edu/gen/WW2Pics/81485.GIF
http://history.acusd.edu/gen/WW2Pics/81486.GIF
www.archives.gov
September 28, 2004
Cartoon Analysis Worksheet
Level 1
Visuals
1. List the objects or people you
see in the cartoon.
Words (not all cartoons include words)
1. Identify the cartoon caption
and/or title.
2. Locate three words or phrases
used by the cartoonist to identify
objects or people within the
cartoon.
3. Record any important dates or
numbers that appear in the
cartoon.
Level 2
Visuals
Words
2. Which of the objects on your list
4. Which words or phrases in the
are symbols?
cartoon appear to be the most
3. What do you think each symbol
significant? Why do you think
means?
so?
5. List adjectives that describe the
emotions portrayed in the
cartoon.
Level 3
A. Describe the action taking place in the cartoon.
B. Explain how the words in the cartoon clarify the symbols.
C. Explain the message of the cartoon.
D. What special interest groups would agree/disagree with the cartoon's
message? Why?
Page URL: http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/analysis_worksheets/cartoon.html
EXIT TICKET
Respond to the following questions and hand your paper to me before you exit the
classroom!

What will be the impact of the United States’ decision to not join the League of
Nations?

Consider this quote:
“This war has not ended war, and no war can end war, because war does not inseminate
the spirit of peace, but the spirit of revenge.”
British writer Walter L. George, 1919
Predict what will be some of the consequences of World War I.
Annotated Bibliography
Books
Bragdon, Henry W., Samuel P. McCutchen, Donald A. Ritchie; History of a Free Nation;
Gelncoe/McGraw Hill; 1998
This book is the textbook we use in most Fairfax County Public Schools for US and
Virginia History instruction. This is helpful for background knowledge and
understanding of the key points discussed in this lesson plans. While examining the
political cartoons, the students may use the text as a reference for unfamiliar symbols,
words, people’s names etc.
Internet Sites:
http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/analysis_worksheets/cartoon.html
This is the specific link to the political cartoon analysis worksheet that was included in
the lesson plan.
http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/analysis_worksheets/worksheets.html
The website has many document analysis worksheets that were designed and developed
by the Education Staff of the National Archives and Records Administration. There are
worksheets designed for written documents, photographs, cartoons, posters, maps,
artifacts, sound recordings, and motion picture. A wonderful resource if you use primary
resources.
http://history.acusd.edu/gen/text/versaillestreaty/vercontents.html
This website contains a copy of the entire Versailles Treaty, and maps, charts,
photographs, and cartoons that reference the treaty. The website also contains links to
additional World War I websites. This website was used to gather the examples of
political cartoons that could be used with this lesson plan.