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Topic World War I

The Library of Congress is uniquely prepared to tell the story of the United States' participation in the Great War. The Library’s unparalleled collections include posters, recordings, newspapers, sheet music, photographs, and veterans’ stories as well as publications, exhibitions, educational tools, and research guides related to World War I.

Top Features

Exhibition

Echoes of the Great War: American Experiences of WWI

Explore how Americans experienced the upheaval of world war—at home and abroad.

Teachers

World War I Primary Source Set

Find selected primary sources for open-ended analysis by students, along with a teachers guide.

Veterans History

Veterans History Project World War I Feature

The three-part online exhibit, "Experiencing War," helps tell the larger story of the war from the perspective of those who served in it.

Shop

America and the Great War: Illustrated History

Personal stories, political & military battles, tragedies & epic achievements that marked U.S. involvement in the first modern war

Blog Posts

World War I Blog Posts

Library staff share compelling stories and fascinating facts on collections items and themes related to the First World War.

Featured Collection World War I Sheet Music

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WWI Collections

George S. Patton Papers: Diaries, 1910-1945
John J. Pershing Papers
Newspaper Pictorials: World War I Rotogravures, 1914-1919
World War I Posters
Stars and Stripes: The American Soldiers' Newspaper of World War I, 1918 to 1919
Veterans History Project
World War I Sheet Music
World Digital Library
American Leaders Speak: Recordings from World War I and the 1920 Election
Chronicling America
World War I: Declarations of War from Around the Globe
Military Battles and Campaigns
Patriotic Melodies

WWI by Format

Sound Recordings
Manuscripts
Maps
Sheet Music
Photos, Prints, Drawings
Newspapers

Related Links

For Teachers

Lesson Plan World War I: What Are We Fighting for Over There?
Primary Source Set World War I Primary Source Set
Idea Book World War I Idea Book for Teachers