Skip to content
Interpreting the Evidence

Women's Libery Loan Committee

  • Documents in this Activity:
  • Historical Eras:

    Turn of the Century and WWI (1890 - 1930)

  • Thinking Skill:

    Historical Analysis & Interpretation

  • Grade Level:

    Middle School
    High School
    College University

  • Topics:

    Community
    Women
    World War I

  • Primary Source Types:

    Photograph

  • Regions:

    New York State

  • Creator:

    NYS Archives Partnership Trust Education Team

  1. Load Women's Liberty Loan Committee, Women from a Local Branch, World War I, c. 1917 in Main Image Viewer
  2. Load Women's Liberty Loan Committee, Women from a Local Branch, World War I, c. 1917 in Main Image Viewer

Suggested Teaching Instructions

Document Description
Photograph of a group of women from a local branch of the National Women's Liberty Loan Committee, an organization created in 1917 in cooperation with the War Loan Organization. The Women's Liberty Loan Committee sold Liberty bonds and also worked to enlist other women sellers, World War I, c. 1917.
Historical Context
The Women's Liberty Loan Committee appealed to women, informing them that they were responsible for spending nine-tenths of all money found in the family budget, and that they were thus able to use some of that money for purchasing Liberty Loans. Women were also encouraged to buy as many Liberty Loans as they could with their available cash, while also buying even more on installment plans. As an additional incentive, Liberty Loans were advertised as the perfect investment. When an individual purchased a government bond, they received interest on that loan at 4 ¼% annually. The government issued interest payments every six months. Bonds could be insured against fire and theft making these investments a guaranteed way to make money while helping finance the United States participation in WWI.
 
Essential Question
How do women contribute to solving national issues?
 
Check for Understanding
Describe the women in the photograph and explain their role during World War I?
Historical Challenges
How has the role of women during war changed in the United States? How has the position of women in American society contributed to those changes?
 
Interdisciplinary Connections
Art: Design a poster for the Women’s Liberty Loan Committee advertising the availability and purpose of the Liberty Loan.
Math: If a person invested $2300.00 in Liberty Loans during World War I, how much interest would that person receive on their investment over the course of 4 years?