Jan 27 1915 Ottoman “Moslems” 120,000 strong rush in Egypt http://t.co/xE2JAJKQsh pic.twitter.com/0Rhw5akHEd — WWI covered live (@ThisDayInWWI) January 27, 2015

100 years ago the Western World came into conflict with the Islamic World but back then they didn’t know what to call them. All sorts of words were thrown around including:

Moslem

Mohammedan

Mahometans

Muhammadan

Mahommedan

Mahomedan

Mahometan

Musulmans

Most of these are just how different languages spell Muslim but one, Mohammedan or follower of the Islamic prophet Muhammad is apparently quite offensive. Mohammedan implies Muslims worshiped Muhammad as a god as opposed to just the messenger and prophet of God.

In the 100-year-old print archives there hasn’t been much use of the word Islamic or Islam and no mention of the schism in the news today between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.

Nov 27 1914 Sultan and 28 Moslem Priests issue Holy War, Jihad against England, Russia, France http://t.co/8f9demJYbC pic.twitter.com/K0aJT6NATH — This day in WWI (@ThisDayInWWI) November 27, 2014

Title: Mahommedan Women of the Dekham Alternative Title: [Mohammedan Women of the Deccan Plateau] Creator: Jo… http://t.co/qmE9BVSXfL — SMUDigCollections (@SMUdigcoll) September 16, 2013

Ottoman Caliph 1887 asked American Minister to Turkey “Are there no Mahometans in America? Could I build a mosque for them in your country?” — Hussain Sarfaraz (@sarfarax) May 30, 2012

Nov 22 1914 Will Sheik al Islam the “Mohammedan Pope declare Holy war? ” http://t.co/VTnHbEeKku pic.twitter.com/vnMgqrLoML — WWI covered live (@ThisDayInWWI) November 22, 2014

Nov 28 1914 Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports “Suez is threatened by Moslem Horde” http://t.co/IF8LyS1RMi pic.twitter.com/taYwCYS0DI — WWI covered live (@ThisDayInWWI) November 28, 2014