|
WW1 Liberty Bonds Facts for kids: Fast Fact Sheet
Fast, fun facts and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
about Liberty
Bonds.
What were Liberty Bonds? The US
government Liberty Bonds were a special
issue of WW1 US government bonds. Bonds are
official notes that are sold with the
promise to pay the money back, with
interest, on a certain date.
What was the purpose of Liberty Bonds? The
main purpose of the Liberty Bonds was to
raise money for WW1, they also encouraged
Americans to save rather than spend
controlling inflation during the wartime
economy.
How did Liberty Bonds work?
The Liberty Bonds were a direct and
unconditional promise of the United States
to pay upon a certain date a specified sum
of money in
gold, together with interest at a specific
rate, payable at specific dates until the
bond matures, or was called for redemption. How
did Liberty Bonds help the war effort?:
The Liberty Bonds inspired patriotism
and allowed Americans on the home front to
feel they were making a valuable
contribution to the war effort.
Advertising Liberty Bonds were used
extensively in WW1 propaganda campaigns
Propaganda Poster: Beat back the Hun with
Liberty Bonds
The poster 'Beat back the Hun with Liberty Bonds' was created by
artist and cartoonist Fred Strothmann (1879-1958). Frederick
Strothmann was the son of German immigrants, born in Philadelphia.
He studied at the Carl Hecker Art School in New York City, the
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and in Paris. The 'Beat back
the Hun' poster was one of the most effective issued by the
Committee on Public Information (CPI). The gruesome
and frightening poster features the head of a a blood-thirsty "Hun"
(German) with piercing eyes and a blood-stained fingers and bayonet
looking across the Atlantic Ocean towards America.. The Creel
Committee promoted German hatred and used a variety of Propaganda
Techniques using fear to promote their message.
Issues of Liberty Bonds
There were a total of four Liberty Loan Bond issues
and one Victory Loan Bond issue. The dates and interest rates are
detailed on the following table:
Issues of Liberty Bonds Date
- Amount
Offered ($ Billion) -
Interest Rate
24 April, 1917 - $5
Billion - 3.5%1 October, 1917
- $3
Billion - 4%
5 April, 1918 - $3
Billion - 4.5%28 September, 1918
- $6
Billion - 4.25%
21 April, 1919
(Victory Bond) - $4.5
Billion - 4.75%
Converted Liberty Bonds
Many of the first two issues of Liberty Bonds were
redeemed or converted to higher interest rate issues. The converted
bonds were exchanged into the "First Liberty Bond Converted" or
"Second Liberty Bond Converted" issues.
Liberty Bonds
Facts for kids
The following fact
sheet contains interesting facts and information on WW1 Liberty Bonds
for kids.
Facts about
Liberty Bonds for kids
Liberty Bonds Fact 1:
Liberty Bonds were sold in
denominations of $50 to $100,000.
Liberty Bonds Fact 2:
The smaller denominations of $50 and $100 enabled
lower income Americans to participate in the scheme. The higher
denominations were purchased by wealthy individuals, banks and by
U.S. corporations
Liberty Bonds Fact
3: There were a total of four Liberty
Loan Bond issues and one Victory Loan Bond issue.
Liberty Bonds Fact 4:
The 3.5% interest was tax exempt except for
estate and inheritance taxes.
Liberty Bonds Fact 5:
In 1917 alone U.S. citizens bought $18.7 billion
worth of the bonds
Liberty Bonds Fact 6:
The Liberty Bonds introduced the idea
of financial securities to many American citizens and
encouraged the concept of investment by people from all
walks of life.
Continued...
Facts about
Liberty Bonds for kids
Facts about
Liberty Bonds for kids
The following fact
sheet continues with facts about WW1 Liberty Bonds for kids.
Facts
about Liberty Bonds for kids
Liberty Bonds Fact 7:
In December 1917, the Treasury
Department offered War Savings Certificates and
Saving Stamps to enable children and low-income
Americans to invest in the war effort. The 25 cent
stamps were collected in books and exchanged for $5
savings certificates.
Liberty Bonds Fact 8:
A variety of methods were used to
promote the sale of Liberty Bonds. Newspapers,
pamphlets and magazines all carried adverts.
Liberty Bonds Fact
9: Famous Hollywood movie stars
played their part in publicity campaigns. Al Jolson,
Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Claudette Colbert
and Charlie Chaplin were among the celebrities that
made public appearances promoting the patriotic
element of purchasing Liberty Bonds.
Hollywood in
the 1920s
Liberty Bonds Fact
10: Charlie Chaplin also made a short
propaganda movie called 'The Bond', at his own
expense, for the drive. The movie was released on 29
September 1918 and featured a short series of
humorous sketches and ended with Charlie Chaplin
using a Liberty Bond to literally K.O. the German
Kaiser.
Liberty Bonds Fact
11: "Four Minute Men" delivered
speeches to encourage sales and driving home
patriotic duty to American citizens.
Liberty Bonds Fact
12: For the third Liberty Bond issue,
there were approximately 9 million posters and 10
million button badges produced.
Liberty Bonds Fact
13: About 50% of all American
families bought Liberty war bonds, most between $5
and $100 worth. The other 50% of the total number
sold were purchased by financial institutions in
$10,000 increments
Liberty Bonds Fact
14: The US government again sold war
bonds during World War II (1939–45) to help
raise funds for the fight for freedom.
Facts
about Liberty Bonds for kids
Facts about
Liberty Bonds
for kids: American entry
and US role World War I
On April 6, 1917 the United States
Senate declared war on Germany
and fought with the allies in WW1. For additional
facts and information refer to the following links: .
Liberty Bonds for kids - President Woodrow Wilson Video
The article on the Liberty Bonds provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
Woodrow Wilson video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 28th American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1913 to March 4, 1921.
Liberty Bonds
●
Interesting Facts for kids and schools
●
Key events
and WW1 economy for kids
●
The Liberty Bonds, a major
event in US history
●
Woodrow Wilson Presidency from March 4, 1913 to March 4, 1921
●
Fast, fun Facts about WW1 Economy
●
Foreign & Domestic
policies of President Woodrow Wilson
●
Woodrow Wilson Presidency and
Liberty Bonds for schools,
homework, kids and children
|
