of the from the ranches are fed on corn in the corn states, principally 12. Study Questions. 1. Describe the process of preparing cotton for the market. 2. What is done with the cotton seed? 3. What is the South preparing to do with the cotton crop? 4. Where is the wheat belt of America? 5. How is the wheat cultivated and harvested? 6. Describe the progress of the wheat from the field to its use as food. 7. What are the leading cattle-raising states? 8. Where and how are the herds fattened? 9. What was the effect of the invention of the refrigerator car? 10. How does the value of coal and iron mined in America compare with the gold and silver? II. Where is anthracite or hard coal mined? 12. Where was iron first mined? 13. Where is the largest deposit in the world? 14. Where is the great iron and steel center of America? 15. Give a list of all the things you can think of that are made out of iron. INDUSTRIES: Suggested Readings. Fairbanks: The Western United States, 215-290; Brooks, The Story of Cotton; Shillig, The Four Wonders (Cotton, Wool, Linen, and Silk); Brooks, The Story of Corn. AMERICA AND THE WORLD WAR EARLY YEARS OF THE WAR 232. A War of All the People.. We have been studying in this history the lives of America's greatest men The hero and women, and the ways they have served their country. But in the last great part of American history, the World War, what counted most was the loyalty of every one of the people to a free government, and their willingness to fight and work unitedly for its safety. The plain, everyday American is our hero in this chapter. World War The war was so big that if each citizen had not done his bit, Germany might have conquered. The work of shipping boards and directors of fuel supply was less important than the work done by ordinary people. Much was done to win the war in the homes of each boy and girl in the United States as well as on the battlefields of France. Every member of the family found things he could do without to help buy more Liberty bonds. Boy Scouts sold bonds and thrift stamps. Girls worked to get foodcard pledges. Mothers In the "Food Will Win the War" campaign posters planned the meals care- urged all school children to make gardens fully to save the wheat, meat, and sugar that had to be sent across to our army. Brothers and fathers had to answer the draft call and go to training camps if necessary. Not only must food and money, gasoline and coal, be saved, but everyone who could not fight overseas was expected to do some useful work. With one hundred million people in the country, we might think it would not make any difference if we let someone else do our part. But this was not the spirit of America. For the most part, each person himself felt that this was his war, fought for his rights and for his aims. And because for the most part each person acted as if success depended on him, Europe was amazed at America's swiftness in getting ready to fight. The United States did not decide to enter this war until it had been going on nearly three years, for its people had come from nations fighting on opposite sides. Besides, war had always been a common happening in Europe, and the United States had always tried to keep its hands free. tradition Washington and Jefferson and later Monroe had advised that we should only be "interested spectators" of quarrels abroad. America by aloof The powers involved Invasion of Belgium 233. A World at Arms. The outbreak of the war surprised the world by its suddenness. The heir to the throne of Austria, Archduke Ferdinand, was murdered in June, 1914. Austria blamed Serbia for the murder. When Serbia would not agree to all that was demanded of her, Austria at once declared war. The largest nations of Europe were united in two groups. Germany took up Austria's quarrel; Russia, France, and England combined to oppose Germany. Italy was bound to defend Germany and Austria if they should be attacked, but now believed they were the attacking nations, and later came in against them. Bulgaria and Turkey threw in their lot with Germany and Austria, these four nations forming the Central Powers, and Japan and Roumania with the Allies, as the nations opposing them were called. Germany's first act was to rush her troops across the borders of Belgium, straight toward Paris. Belgium, of course, was too small a state to stand against the armies of her stronger neighbors. On this account the great nations of western Europe had agreed never to invade Belgium, and now England felt bound to go to her defense. British, French, and Belgian soldiers, fighting in whatever order they could, checked the oncoming masses of Germans. The Allies stopped them at the Battle of the Marne, far within France. On the sea England's mighty navy quickly put an end to all German shipping. She Events kept the German navy from venturing even into the North at sea Sea. But German submarines could not be so easily blocked up, and slipped out and sunk Allied vessels. 234. The American Government Neutral. When Germany first attacked Belgium, some people believed that the United States should break off relations with favors the Allies her at once. Our government declared itself neutral. Opinion President Wilson asked the people to be friendly in their dealings with all the nations at war. But Germany's headlong haste in declaring war, and her methods of waging it made most Americans anxious for the success of the Allies. The European countries were too busy fighting to raise all the food or forge all the guns their armies needed. They were producing these things on a very great scale, but had to buy vast quantities besides. The United States was the country best able to supply them. The great steel factories of the country worked night and day making shells, tanks, and war material of all kinds. Since England controlled the seas, everything we made went to the Allies. Germany protested strongly against our supplying her enemies with the means to fight her. But Germany America, not being at war, had a right to trade with all protests countries. To give up this right would have been to take sides with Germany. American merchants were willing to manufacture goods for Germany, but she could not send ships to get them. The Lusitania A peaceloving nation 235. Disputes with England and Germany. Our government had a just cause of complaint against England. she thought was intended for Germany. When the United States objected, she promised to make good all losses. Germany, on the other hand, not only destroyed American goods but American lives. One of the two largest passenger ships ever built, the Lusitania, was sunk by a German submarine on May 7, 1915. Over one hundred Americans went down. Again there was a great cry that Germany should be punished. But President Wilson made every possible effort for peace. He gave Germany a chance to prove that she did not mean to continue such lawlessness. Finally Germany promised to take Americans off the ships to be sunk. In spite of her pledge Germany failed to change her methods. New notes protesting and more ships sunk was the order of things for almost two years. President Wilson was severely criticized for this "warfare of notes." But many people were not yet convinced that this was different from other European wars. Otherwise Congress, which like the President is the servant of the people, might have declared war sooner. The country was peace-loving, and far away from roaring guns and ruined towns of Europe. In a way it is to the credit of the American people that they were slow to believe in |