Governments rely on propaganda to build support for wars. Class members examine six propaganda posters, two each from the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II, and analyze how the way women were portrayed in the posters changed over the years. To demonstrate their learning, groups create a presentation for a curated exhibition in which they detail how the poster represents a turning point for women.

Concepts

propaganda, symbolism, world war ii, women's history, women's history month, world war i, the spanish-american war, the suffrage movement

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Coordinate the lesson with the art department or invite a graphic designer to talk with the class about the conventions in color and designed used in propaganda posters

Classroom Considerations

• Requires computers with internet access for all groups
• Considerable prep time is necessary to collect, tag, and copy required materials

Pros

• The richly detailed lesson is carefully scaffolded to ensure all learners can be successful
• Links are provided to all primary source materials required for the lesson

Cons

• None

Common Core

W.11-12.6 W.11-12.7 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.7 RH.11-12.9