Zimmermann Telegram

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/zimmermann-telegram

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the date of telegram transmission?January 19, 1917
2. What is the german foreign secretary?Arthur Zimmermann
3. How did the British find out about the telegram?British spies in a unit called Room 40 intercepted the cable, broke the German code, and learned the plan.
4. Why did the telegram make America want to join the war?It showed Germany was trying to start a war on U.S. soil, which made people angry and convinced President Wilson to ask Congress to go to war.

Signals Intelligence (SIGINT): Intelligence gathered from electronic signals and systems used by foreign targets.
Geopolitical Landscape: The combination of geographical factors and political power that shapes international relations.
Isolationism: A national policy of avoiding involvement in foreign alliances and conflicts.