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US History
Study Guide Chapter 11
January, 2012
Chapter 11: The First World War
Section 1: World War I Begins
1. List the four long term cause of World War I.
2. Explain what is meant by nationalism.
3. Explain what is meant by imperialism as a cause of World War I.
4. What actions did Germany take that resulted in a world wide arms race—which
included the US?
5. What countries made up the Allies? The Central Powers?
6. What was the specific incident caused war to break out in Europe in 1914
7. Describe how the war was fought. What were the casualty numbers?
8. Why was it difficult for the US to remain neutral in this war? Who favored the
Allies? Who favored Germany?
9. Explain the British blockade of Germany. How did the Germans respond to the
blockade and how did this impact the US?
10. Describe the election of 1916. What part did the war play in that election? How
close was the election? Why?
11. What was the Zimmerman note? How did this influence the US position on the
war?
12. When and why did the US declare war against Germany?
13. What happened with Russia that made it easier to ask for a declaration of war
from Congress?
14. What was Wilson’s main goal in going to war?
US History
Study Guide, Chapter 11,
January, 2012
Chapter 11—Section 2 : American Power Tips the Balance
1. What was the status of the war in Europe when America entered the war?
Documentary, class discussion, p. 386.
2. What was the condition of the American armed services when the US entered the
war? Explain how the armed services were built up to fight the war. Explain the
Selective Service Act.
3. How many men were drafted and how many of them reached the war front in
Europe? What role did African Americans play in the war—and under what
restrictions?
4. Explain the importance of ship building at this time? How was production
speeded up?
5. Explain the convoy system. How successful was it?
6. Describe the new weapons systems that were used in the war. What role did
technological progress play in fighting the war? How did it contribute to the
casualties of war?
7. What was the American Expeditionary Force? Who led the force? How did make
a difference in the war? What specific role did it play in defeating the Germans?
8. Explain why Germany surrendered. What German territory had been captured?
When did the war end?
9. What was the final casualty count for this world war? How many Americans died
in the war—in battle and by disease?
US History
Study Guide, Chapter 11,
January, 2012
Section 3: The War at Home
1. How did the government get involved in business in order to insure that war
production was meeting the demands of the war? Explain the War Industries
Board. How were railroads affected?
2. How was the consumer affected by the war
3. How did the government control prices? Why did consumer prices increase?
How much did average wages increase?
4. How were business profits affected by the war? What impact did the war have on
labor and unions, why?
5. Explain how food production and consumption was affected by the war. Why was
food a big issue during this war?
6. Explain how the US paid for this war. How did the cost impact the citizens of the
US?
7. What role did propaganda play in the war? Who spread this propaganda? What
forms did this propaganda take?
8. Describe the hysteria against people of German ancestor and immigrants from
Germany during the war.
9. What were the purposes of the Espionage and Sedition Acts? What were they
trying to control? What were the punishments? Give two examples of people
convicted of violating these laws.
10. Explain how and why the war caused a great movement of African Americans
from the South into northern cities. What were the advantages of this move?
What were the problems?
11. Describe the role of women in the war. What rights did they finally gain?
12. Describe the flu epidemic that swept the world and the US in 1918. What were
the casualties of this flu? How did it affect the war effort?
US History
Study Guide, Chapter 11,
January, 2012
Section 4, Wilson Fights for Peace
1. Explain the role of Russia in World War I. Explain why internal changes occurred
in the government of Russia? Why did these changes frighten the Allies?
Documentary, class discussion.
2. Outline the main goals of Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points—included in points
1-5 and 14. When were the 14 Points announced? Why?
3. How were national boundaries, and colonies dealt with in the 14 Points?
4. What did the population of Europe think of Wilson? What did the leaders of the
Allies say about him?
5. What were the goals of the Allied leaders at the peace conference at Versailles?
Which countries attended the conference? Which were excluded? Why?
6. What happened to Wilson’s Fourteen Points at the peace conference and in the
Treaty of Versailles?
7. What was the principle of self determination in Wilson’s 14 Points?
8. What happened to the colonies of the European powers as a result of the peace
treaty? What new nations and what new colonies were established?
9. How did the negotiations of the Treaty of Versailles affect Woodrow Wilson?
10. Why did he not have support for the Treaty of Versailles at home? What were the
objections to the treaty? What mistakes did Wilson make in dealing with the
Republicans?
11. What were the objections of some to the League of Nations? Who were the
irreconcilables? The reservationists?
-OVER-
12. What role did Henry Cabot Lodge play in defeating the treaty? How did Wilson
contribute to the defeat of the treaty? Explain the Lodge and Hitchcock
reservations to Article 10 of the treaty—handout.
13. How did Wilson fight for the treaty at home before and after its defeat in the
Senate? How did his health become an issue?
14. What were the results of the election of 1920? What did this election say about
the war and the Treaty of Versailles? What was normalcy?
15. What was the legacy of the war and the Treaty of Versailles? How was Germany
dealt with by this treaty? Why was the world at war again 20 years later?