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Chapter Introduction
Section 1 The United States
Enters World War I
Section 2 The Home Front
Section 3 A Bloody Conflict
Section 4 The War’s Impact
Chapter Assessment
The Big Ideas
SECTION 1: The United States Enters World War I
The fate of nations is forever changed by
monumental world events. Although the United
States tried to remain neutral, events soon pushed
the nation into World War I.
SECTION 2: The Home Front
The fate of nations is forever changed by
monumental world events. To successfully fight
the war, the United States had to mobilize the
entire nation and citizens had to assume new roles
and responsibilities.
The Big Ideas
SECTION 3: A Bloody Conflict
The fate of nations is forever changed by
monumental world events. After four years of
fighting, World War I ended in November of 1918.
SECTION 4: The War’s Impact
The fate of nations is forever changed by
monumental world events. As American society
moved from war to peace, turmoil in the economy
and fear of communism caused a series of
domestic upheavals.
In the previous chapter, you learned about
President Wilson’s reforms and the effects of
the Progressive Era. In this section, you will
discover what events led to the United States
entering World War I.
• President Wilson promoted a moral approach to
diplomacy in his attempts to bring democracy to
Mexico. (p. 367)
• Old alliances and nationalist sentiments among
European nations set the stage for World War I.
(p. 368)
• British propaganda and business interests led
most Americans to a pro-British stance on the
war. (p. 371)
• Despite efforts to stay officially neutral, the
United States entered the war after German
submarines destroyed American ships. (p. 372)
guerrilla, nationalism, self-determination,
propaganda, contraband, U-boat
stability, emphasis, erode
Pancho Villa, Franz Ferdinand, Allies, Central
Powers, Sussex Pledge, Zimmermann telegram
1. Describe the principles that guided President
Wilson’s foreign policy.
2. Discuss the causes and results of American
intervention in Mexico and the Caribbean.
3. Explain the causes of World War I and why the
United States entered the war in 1917.
When the United States finally entered World
War I, “Remember the Lusitania” became a
common slogan much like the slogan
“Remember the Maine” was used during the
Spanish-American War.
I. Woodrow Wilson’s Diplomacy (pages 367–368)
A. President Wilson was opposed to imperialism
and believed democracy was necessary to
keep the nation stable and prosperous. He
wanted a world free from revolution and war.
B. In 1911 a revolution in Mexico forced its
leader, Porfirio Díaz, to flee the country. The
new leader, Francisco Madero, was a poor
administrator. General Victoriano Huerta
took over in Mexico and presumably had
Madero murdered. Wilson refused to
recognize the new government and
prevented weapons from reaching Huerta.
I. Woodrow Wilson’s Diplomacy (pages 367–368)
C. In 1914 Wilson sent marines to seize the
Mexican port of Veracruz to overthrow
Huerta. Anti-American riots broke out in
Mexico. International mediation of the dispute
placed Venustiano Carranza as Mexico’s
new president.
D. Mexican forces opposed to Carranza
conducted raids into the United States,
hoping Wilson would intervene. Pancho
Villa led a group of guerrillas, an armed
group that carries out surprise attacks, into
New Mexico, and a number of Americans
were killed.
I. Woodrow Wilson’s Diplomacy (pages 367–368)
E. Wilson sent General John J. Pershing and his
troops into Mexico to capture Villa. Pershing
was unsuccessful. Wilson’s Mexican policy
damaged U.S. foreign relations.
Pancho Villa
I. Woodrow Wilson’s Diplomacy (pages 367–368)
What was President Wilson’s foreign policy
in Mexico?
Wilson refused to recognize the new Mexican government
led by General Victoriano Huerta, who had seized power in
Mexico. Wilson sent U.S. marines to Mexico to overthrow
Huerta. When anti-American riots broke out in Mexico,
Wilson was forced to accept international mediation over
the dispute. Venustiano Carranza was made Mexico’s
president. Mexican forces, led by Pancho Villa, were
opposed to Carranza and conducted raids into the U.S.
Wilson sent General John J. Pershing into Mexico to
capture Villa.
II. The Outbreak of World War I (pages 368–371)
A. The roots of World War I can be traced back
to the 1860s, when Prussia began a series of
wars in order to unite German states. By 1871
Germany was united. The new German nation
changed European politics. France and
Germany were enemies. Germany formed the
Triple Alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy.
Russia and France formed the FrancoRussian Alliance against Germany and
Austria-Hungary.
II. The Outbreak of World War I (pages 368–371)
B. Great Britain remained neutral until the early
1900s, when it began an arms race with
Germany. This increased tensions between
the two countries, causing the British to gain
closer relations with France and Russia.
The three countries became known as the
Triple Entente.
II. The Outbreak of World War I (pages 368–371)
C. Nationalism, intense pride for one’s
homeland, was a powerful idea in Europe in
the late 1800s. The right to selfdetermination, the idea that people who
belong to a nation should have their own
country and government, was a basic idea of
nationalism. This idea led to a crisis in the
Balkans where different national groups within
the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires
began to seek independence.
II. The Outbreak of World War I (pages 368–371)
D. In June 1914, the heir to the AustroHungarian throne, Archduke Franz
Ferdinand, was killed by a Bosnian
revolutionary. This act set off a chain of
events that led to World War I. On July 28,
Austria declared war on Serbia. On August 1,
Germany declared war on Russia. Two days
later Germany declared war on France.
Archduke Franz
Ferdinand and wife
Sophia visiting
Sarajevo on the day
of the assassination.
II. The Outbreak of World War I (pages 368–371)
E. The Allies—France, Russia, Great Britain,
and later Italy—fought for the Triple Entente.
Germany and Austria-Hungary joined the
Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria to form the
Central Powers.
F. Germany and France became locked in a
stalemate along hundreds of miles of
trenches. The stalemate lasted three years.
The Central Powers had greater success on
the Eastern Front, capturing hundreds of
miles of territory and taking hundreds of
thousands of prisoners.
II. The Outbreak of World War I (pages 368–371)
What factors led to the start of World War I?
The roots of World War I can be traced back to the 1860s, when
Prussia began a series of wars in order to unite German states. By
1871 Germany was united. The new German nation changed
European politics. France and Germany were enemies. Germany
formed the Triple Alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy. Russia
and France formed the Franco-Russian Alliance against Germany
and Austria-Hungary. Great Britain remained neutral until the early
1900s, when it began an arms race with Germany. This increased
tensions between the two countries, causing the British to gain
closer relations with France and Russia. Nationalism led to a crisis
in the Balkans where different national groups within the Ottoman
and Austro-Hungarian Empires began to seek independence. In
June 1914, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz
Ferdinand, was killed by a Bosnian revolutionary. This event caused
the alliances of Europe to declare war on each other.
III. American Neutrality (pages 371–372)
A. Wilson declared the United States to be
neutral. He did not want his country pulled
into a foreign war. Americans, however, began
showing support for one side or the other with
many immigrants supporting their homelands.
Most Americans favored the Allied cause.
III. American Neutrality (pages 371–372)
B. President Wilson’s cabinet was pro-British,
believing that an Allied victory would preserve
an international balance of power. The
British skillfully used propaganda, or
information used to influence opinion, to gain
American support.
C. Companies in the United States had strong
ties to the Allied countries. Many American
banks gave loans to the Allies. As a result,
American prosperity was tied to the war.
The money would only be paid back if the
Allies won.
III. American Neutrality (pages 371–372)
How did propaganda influence Americans?
The British cut the transatlantic telegraph cable
from Europe to the United States to limit news
about the war to mainly British communication.
Outrageous reports about German war atrocities
convinced many Americans to support the Allies.
IV. Moving Toward War (pages 372–374)
A. While most Americans supported the Allies,
they did not want to enter the war.
B. The British navy blockaded Germany to keep
it from getting supplies. The British redefined
contraband, or prohibited materials, to stop
neutral parties from shipping food to Germany.
To get around the blockade, Germany
deployed submarines known as U-boats.
Germany threatened to sink any ship that
entered the waters around Britain. Attacking
civilians ships without warning violated an
international treaty and outraged the United
States. The Lusitania, a British passenger
liner, was hit by the Germans, killing almost
1,200 passengers—including 128 Americans.
IV. Moving Toward War (pages 372–374)
C. Americans instructed Germany to stop U-boat
strikes. Germany did not want the U.S. to join
the war and strengthen the Allies. The Sussex
Pledge, a promise made by Germany to stop
sinking merchant ships, kept the United States
out of the war for a bit longer.
D. A German official, Arthur Zimmermann,
cabled the German ambassador in Mexico,
proposing that Mexico ally itself with
Germany. In return, Mexico would regain
territory it had earlier lost to the United
States. The Zimmermann telegram was
intercepted by British intelligence and
leaked to American newspapers.
IV. Moving Toward War (pages 372–374)
E. In February 1917, Germany went back to
unrestricted submarine warfare and, soon
after, sank six American merchant ships. On
April 6, 1917, the United States declared war
against Germany.
IV. Moving Toward War (pages 372–374)
What events led to the United States declaring
war against Germany?
The British navy blockaded Germany to keep it from getting
supplies. To get around the blockade, Germany deployed U-boats.
The Lusitania, a British passenger liner, was hit by the Germans,
killing almost 1,200 passengers including 128 Americans. A
German official, Arthur Zimmermann, cabled the German
ambassador in Mexico, proposing that Mexico ally itself with
Germany. In return, Mexico would regain territory it had earlier lost
to the United States. The Zimmermann telegram was intercepted
by British intelligence and leaked to American newspapers. In
February 1917, Germany went back to unrestricted submarine
warfare and, soon after, sank six American merchant ships. On
April 6, 1917, the United States declared war against Germany.
Vocabulary
Match the term on the left with the correct definition.
___
C
___
B
stability
A. German submarine
guerilla
B. armed band that carries out
surprise attacks and sabotage
rather than open warfare
___
E
___
F
nationalism
___
D
___
A
contraband
selfdetermination
U-boat
C. being in a state of peace, free from
social unrest
D. goods whose importation,
exportation, or possession is illegal
E. loyalty and devotion to a nation
F. belief that people in a territory
should have the ability to choose
their own government
Checking for Understanding
Name the two alliances that Europe was
divided into at the start of World War I.
Triple Alliance and Triple Entente
Reviewing Big Ideas
Concluding Why did most of President
Wilson’s cabinet members support the British?
They believed that Allied victory was the only
way to preserve the international balance of
power, and they cited the close historical ties
with Great Britain and France.
Critical Thinking
Synthesizing How did European nationalism
contribute to the outbreak of World War I?
Each major ethnic group in European empires
wanted its own country.
CA HI1
Critical Thinking
Organizing Use a graphic organizer similar to
the one below to identify the events that led the
United States to enter World War I.
Unrestricted submarine warfare; Germany’s
attempt to ally with Mexico
Analyzing Visuals
Analyzing Time Lines Examine the time line
shown here. How does the order in which
countries declared war reflect the European
alliance system?
When one country declared war, its allies
declared war.
In the previous section, you learned about the
events that led to U.S. involvement in World War
I. In this section, you will discover how the
United States prepared for war at home.
• The United States instituted a draft for military
service, and African Americans and women took
on new roles. (p. 376)
• The government used Progressive ideas to
manage the economy and pay for the war. (p. 377)
• Women, African Americans, and Mexican
Americans all helped to fill labor shortages
created by the draft. (p. 378)
• Propaganda and limits on civil liberties were part
of domestic life during World War I. (p. 379)
conscription, victory garden, espionage
draft, migrate, constitute
War Industries Board, Bernard Baruch, Liberty
Bond, Victory Bond, Committee on Public
Information
1. Analyze how the United States raised an army
and won support for World War I.
2. Explain how the economy was controlled to
support the war.
Seventy-five million pieces of pro-war printed
materials were distributed throughout the
United States by the Committee on Public
Information (CPI). The government passed out
this propaganda to unite public opinion behind
the war effort. The CPI ran a full-page ad in the
popular magazine the Saturday Evening Post,
asking American citizens to notify the Justice
Department if they encountered, “the man who
spreads the pessimistic stories . . . , cries for
peace, or belittles our efforts to win the war.”
I. Building Up the Military (pages 376–377)
A. As the United States entered the war; it was
necessary to recruit more soldiers. Many
progressives thought conscription, or forced
military service, violated both democratic and
republican principles. A new system, called
selective service, resulted in about 2.8 million
Americans being drafted.
B. African American soldiers faced
discrimination and prejudice within the
army, where they served in racially
segregated units under the control of white
officers. Many African Americans won
praise from their commanders and received
war medals.
I. Building Up the Military (pages 376–377)
C. World War I was the first war in which women
officially served. The navy enlisted some
11,000 women, whose jobs included clerics,
pharmacists, and photographers. The army
did not enlist women, but hired them as
temporary employees to fill clerical positions.
Army nurses were the only women in the
military to go overseas during the war.
I. Building Up the Military (pages 376–377)
What was selective service?
Selective service was a new system of forced
military service. It required all men ages 21–30
to register to be drafted for war. A lottery
randomly decided the order in which they were
called to service.
II. Organizing Industry (pages 377–378)
A. President Wilson and Congress agreed that
the government should not control the
economy. Instead, they wanted to establish a
cooperative relationship between big business
and government to ensure efficient use of
resources during the mobilization of the
American economy for war.
B. In 1917 the War Industries Board (WIB)
was created to coordinate the production of
war materials. In 1918 the WIB was
reorganized and Bernard Baruch, a
wealthy Wall Street stockbroker, was
appointed to run it.
II. Organizing Industry (pages 377–378)
C. The Food Administration, under the direction
of Herbert Hoover, was responsible for
increasing food production while reducing
consumption. Hoover asked people to plant
victory gardens to raise their own vegetables
in order to leave more food for the troops.
D. The Fuel Administration encouraged people to
conserve coal and oil. Daylight savings time
was introduced to conserve energy.
E. To raise money to pay for the war, the
government began selling Liberty Bonds and
Victory Bonds. By buying bonds, Americans
were loaning the government money that
would be repaid with interest in a specified
number of years.
II. Organizing Industry (pages 377–378)
What were some actions of the WIB under the
leadership of Bernard Branch?
The WIB told manufacturers what they could and
could not make. It also controlled the flow of raw
materials, ordered construction of new factories,
and with the president’s approval, set prices.
III. Mobilizing the Workforce (pages 378–379)
A. To prevent strikes, the government
established the National War Labor Board
(NWLB) in 1918. In exchange for wage
increases, an 8-hour workday, and the right to
organize unions and bargain collectively, the
labor leaders agreed not to disrupt war
production with a strike.
B. The war increased the need for women in
the workforce. They took positions in the
shipping, manufacturing, and railroad
industries. After the war, women returned to
their previous jobs or left the workforce.
III. Mobilizing the Workforce (pages 378–379)
C. The war stopped the flow of immigrants to
the United States, which allowed African
Americans wartime jobs. Between 300,000
and 500,000 African Americans left the South
to settle in the North. This “Great Migration”
changed the racial makeup of many
Northern cities.
D. Many Mexicans moved north, providing
labor for farms and ranches in the American
Southwest. Mexicans also moved to cities
to take wartime factory jobs. They faced
discrimination and hostility from Americans.
III. Mobilizing the Workforce (pages 378–379)
What was the “Great Migration?”
Wartime job openings attracted hundreds of
thousands of African Americans from the South to
settle in the North. It was a massive population
movement during the war.
IV. Ensuring Public Support (pages 379–381)
A. The Committee on Public Information (CPI)
was a new government agency that attempted
to “sell” the idea of war to the American
people. Pamphlets and speeches helped
deliver patriotic messages.
IV. Ensuring Public Support (pages 379–381)
B. Espionage, or spying to acquire secret
government information, was addressed in
the Espionage Act of 1917. It set up
consequences for people who aided the
enemy. The Sedition Act of 1918 went a step
further by making it illegal to criticize the
president or the government.
IV. Ensuring Public Support (pages 379–381)
C. Suspicions of disloyalty led to the
mistreatment of German Americans. AntiGerman feelings sometimes led to violence.
Radical labor activists, socialists, pacifists,
and anyone appearing disloyal also came
under attack.
D. In the case of Schenck v. the United States
(1919), the Supreme Court ruling limited
an individual’s freedom of speech if the
words spoken constituted a “clear and
present danger.”
IV. Ensuring Public Support (pages 379–381)
How did the government ensure the American
public’s support of the war?
The Committee on Public Information attempted
to “sell” the idea of war to the American people
through pamphlets and speeches. The Espionage
Act of 1917 set up consequences for people who
aided the enemy. The Sedition Act of 1918 made
it illegal to criticize the president or the
government. In the case of Schenck v. the United
States (1919), the Supreme Court ruling limited
an individual’s freedom of speech if the words
spoken constituted a “clear and present danger.”
Vocabulary
Match the term on the left with the correct definition.
___
D
___
E
draft
___
A
___
F
victory garden
___
C
___
B
conscription
migrate
espionage
constitute
A. gardens planted by American
citizens during war to raise
vegetables for home use
B. to cause something to be
necessary
C. spying, especially to gain
government secrets
D. to select a person at random for
mandatory military service
E. requiring people to enter military
service
F. to move from one location to
another
Checking for Understanding
Describe the contributions of African
Americans during the war.
About 400,000 African Americans were drafted
to serve in the war; many received high praise
for their courage from French generals.
Reviewing Big Ideas
Summarizing How did government efforts to
ensure support for the war conflict with
democratic ideals?
limited free speech and freedom of the press
Critical Thinking
Analyzing How did World War I cause the
federal government to change its relationship
with the business world?
Special boards were created that encouraged
cooperation between business and government.
Critical Thinking
Organizing Use a graphic organizer similar to
the one below to identify the effects of the war
on the American workforce.
Effects should include increased job opportunities
for women and African Americans.
Analyzing Visuals
Analyzing Posters Examine the posters
shown here. How do these images encourage
support for the war? How effective do you think
they would be today?
Supporting the war is portrayed as admirable;
other answers will vary.
In the previous section, you learned about the
home front. In this section, you will find out
about World War I and its end.
• New technologies made World War I the first
modern war. (p. 385)
• American soldiers entered the war, boosting
morale and fighting courageously. (p. 386)
• The United States rejected Wilson’s generous
peace plan and the League of Nations. (p. 388)
convoy, armistice, reparations
network, adequately, resolve
Vladimir Lenin, Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Fourteen
Points, League of Nations, Treaty of Versailles
1. Discuss the fighting techniques used in World
War I.
2. Characterize the American response to the
Treaty of Versailles.
By 1917 one in every four ships setting sail
from British ports was attacked by German
submarines. Soon after joining the war,
American warships helped plant antisubmarine
mines in the North Sea. This action put an end
to most German submarine attacks.
I. Combat in World War I (pages 385–386)
A. By 1917 World War I had claimed millions of
European lives. Americans, however, believed
their troops could bring the war to a quick
end.
B. Soldiers dug trenches as a means of
protection from modern weapons. “No man’s
land” was the space between the opposing
trenches. Soldiers would charge the enemy by
scrambling out of the trenches. This inefficient
military move made soldiers easy targets. In
major battles, both sides lost several hundred
thousand men.
I. Combat in World War I (pages 385–386)
C. To break through enemy lines and reduce
causalities, new technologies were created.
Poison gas, first used by the Germans,
caused vomiting, blindness, and suffocation.
Tanks were unsuccessfully used. Airplanes
dropped small bombs on the enemy and
engaged in air battles.
I. Combat in World War I (pages 385–386)
How did the nature of warfare change in
World War I?
The nature of warfare changed as troops dug
trenches as a means of protection from modern
weapons. New technologies were created to
break through enemy lines. The technologies
included rapid-fire machine guns, poison gas,
tanks, and airplanes that dropped small bombs
and that attached machine guns for air battles.
II. The Americans and Victory (pages 386–388)
A. ”Doughboys” was a nickname for American
soldiers. Although inexperienced, the
American soldiers boosted the morale of
Allied forces.
B. American Admiral William S. Sims proposed
convoys, in which merchant ships and
troop transports were gathered into groups
and brought across the Atlantic by warships.
The result was a reduction in shipping
losses and ensured that American troops
would get to Europe safely.
II. The Americans and Victory (pages 386–388)
C. Although Russians supported the war effort,
their government was not equipped to handle
the major problems of the nation. In 1917
Vladimir Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik
Party, overthrew the government and
replaced it with a Communist one. Lenin
pulled Russia out of the war and agreed with
Germany to sign the Treaty of BrestLitovsk, removing German armies from
Russian lands in exchange for territory. This
closed the Eastern Front for Germany.
II. The Americans and Victory (pages 386–388)
D. In March of 1918, Germany launched a
massive attack along the Western Front and
pushed deeply into Allied lines. American
troops captured the village of Cantigny, and
with French assistance the German attack of
Paris was blocked. The American and French
troops held their ground.
II. The Americans and Victory (pages 386–388)
E. In September 1918, American General
Pershing put together the most massive
attack in American history, causing one
German position after another to fall to the
advancing American troops.
F. On November 11, 1918,
Germany finally signed
an armistice, or ceasefire, that ended the war.
General John J. Pershing
II. The Americans and Victory (pages 386–388)
Why did Russia pull out of the war?
After Lenin overthrew the Russian government
and set up a Communist government, he pulled
Russia out of the war to focus on establishing a
Communist state.
III. A Flawed Peace (pages 388–389)
A. In January 1919, leaders of the victorious
Allied nations met to resolve the issues
caused by the war. Wilson’s plan, called the
Fourteen Points, addressed “the principle of
justice to all people and nationalities.” The
points proposed by Wilson included
eliminating the general causes of the war
through free trade and disarmament, open
diplomacy instead of secret agreements, and
the right to self-determination. The points
required the evacuation of the Central Powers
from all countries invaded during the war. The
fourteenth point, known as the League of
Nations, called for member nations to help
preserve peace and prevent future wars.
III. A Flawed Peace (pages 388–389)
B. The other Allied governments felt that
Wilson’s plan was too lenient toward
Germany. The Treaty of Versailles, signed by
Germany, weakened Wilson’s proposal. The
treaty stripped Germany of its armed forces
and made it pay reparations, or war
damages to the Allies.
III. A Flawed Peace (pages 388–389)
C. The Treaty of Versailles and the League of
Nations were opposed by many United States
lawmakers. The “Reservationists,” led by
Henry Cabot Lodge, supported the League
but wanted to change the treaty with
amendments that would preserve the nation’s
freedom to act independently. Wilson,
exhausted by trying to sell his plan to
Americans, suffered a stroke. The Senate
refused to ratify the treaty. Instead, the United
States negotiated separate peace treaties
with each of the Central Powers.
III. A Flawed Peace (pages 388–389)
What were the provisions of the Treaty of
Versailles?
The treaty stripped Germany of its armed forces
and made it pay reparations to the Allies. The
sum was more than Germany could afford to pay.
The Treaty also required Germany to
acknowledge guilt for the outbreak and
devastation caused by World War I.
Vocabulary
Match the term on the left with the correct definition.
___
F
___
C
network
___
A
___
B
adequately
___
D
___
E
resolve
convoy
armistice
reparations
A. to complete a task without going
above or beyond what is required
B. a temporary agreement to end
fighting
C. a group that travels with
something, such as a ship, to
protect it
D. to come to an agreement
E. payment by the losing country in a
war to the winner for the damages
caused by the war
F. an interconnected system
Checking for Understanding
List the four nations that dominated the Paris
peace conference in 1919.
Italy, Britain, France, and the U. S.
Reviewing Big Ideas
Recalling Why did President Wilson propose
his Fourteen Points?
Wilson wanted his plan to provide justice for all
people and nationalities.
Critical Thinking
Analyzing What impact did John J. Pershing
and the Battle of the Argonne Forest have on
World War I?
Pershing and the Allied attack at the Argonne
Forest shattered German defenses and
opened a hole in the German line.
Critical Thinking
Organizing Use a graphic organizer to list the
results of World War I.
League of Nations, dissolution of four empires,
nine new European countries, Germany pays
reparations
Analyzing Visuals
Analyzing Maps and Charts Examine the
map and chart shown here. Prepare a quiz with
questions based on information from both. Give
the quiz to some of your classmates.
Answers should be provided for
all questions posed.
In the previous section, you learned how the
war changed Europe. In this section, you will
discover how the United States reacted to the
change from war to peace.
• After the war, when businesses tried to decrease
wages and inflation lowered buying power,
workers went on strike across the nation. (p. 391)
• Race riots swept the nation as returning soldiers
competed against African Americans for jobs
and housing. (p. 392)
• Fear of a Communist revolution caused a
nationwide panic. (p. 393)
• Warren G. Harding won the 1920 presidential
election with the promise of a return to
“normalcy.” (p. 395)
cost of living, general strike, deport
widespread, authorities, restoration
Red Scare, A. Mitchell Palmer, J. Edgar Hoover
1. Describe the effects of the postwar recession
on the United States.
2. Explain the causes of increased racial tensions
after the war.
3. Discuss the causes of and reaction to the
Red Scare.
4. List the major issues of
the 1920 presidential
campaign and describe
the election’s results.
In 1919, 450,000 coal miners went on strike.
They wanted a 60 percent pay increase and a
30-hour work week. Because coal was the
major energy source at that time, the
government quickly responded by obtaining a
court order forcing the strikers back to work.
Eventually the coal miners won a large pay
increase to average about $7.50 a day.
I. An Economy in Turmoil (pages 391–392)
A. After World War I ended, rapid inflation
resulted when government agencies removed
their controls from the American economy.
Inflation increased the cost of living—the
cost of food, clothing, shelter, and other
essentials people need.
B. While workers needed higher wages to keep
up with the cost of living, companies wanted
to lower wages due to an increase in
operating costs. The number of members in
unions increased greatly during the war.
Unions were better organized than before.
Business leaders wanted to break the power
of unions. The result of these factors was a
large number of strikes.
I. An Economy in Turmoil (pages 391–392)
C. General strikes—strikes that involve all
workers living in a certain location—worried
Americans because they were common in
Europe by Communists and other radicals.
The Seattle general strike involved more than
60,000 people and brought the city to a halt
for five days.
D. In 1919, 75 percent of the police force of
Boston went on strike. The governor of
Massachusetts, Calvin Coolidge, called in
the National Guard to stop looting. When
the police tried to return to work, Coolidge
fired them, and a new police force was hired
to replace them.
I. An Economy in Turmoil (pages 391–392)
E. One of the largest strikes in American history
took place when 350,000 steelworkers went
on strike for higher pay, shorter hours, and
recognition of their union. The failure of their
strike set back the union cause in the steel
industry until 1937.
I. An Economy in Turmoil (pages 391–392)
What caused Coolidge to become the
Republican choice for vice president in the
1920 election?
Coolidge had agreed that the striking police
officers should be fired because they had
jeopardized public safety. This brought Coolidge
public attention and support.
II. Racial Unrest (pages 392–393)
A. In the summer of 1919, race riots occurred in
many Northern cities. They were caused by
the return of hundreds of thousands of
American soldiers who needed to find
employment. African Americans, who moved
North to work, were now competing for the
same jobs as the soldiers.
B. The worst violence occurred in Chicago
where whites and African Americans
entered each other’s neighborhoods and
attacked one another. The violence lasted
almost two weeks.
II. Racial Unrest (pages 392–393)
What caused racial unrest in Northern cities
after the war?
Hundreds of thousands of American soldiers
returned to the workforce after the war. They
competed for jobs and housing with African
Americans who had moved to Northern cities
during the war to work in factories.
III. The Red Scare (pages 393–394)
A. After World War I, Americans associated
communism with disloyalty and unpatriotic
behavior.
B. The numerous strikes in the U.S. in 1919
made Americans fear that Communists or
“reds” might take control. This led to a
nationwide panic known as the Red Scare.
III. The Red Scare (pages 393–394)
C. The postal service intercepted 30 parcels
addressed to leaders in the business and
political arena that were set to explode upon
opening. One bomb damaged the home of
United States Attorney General A. Mitchell
Palmer. Although no one ever took
responsibility for the packages, most people
felt it was Communists or revolutionaries
trying to destroy the American way of life.
III. The Red Scare (pages 393–394)
D. Palmer set up a special division in the Justice
Department called the General Intelligence
Division, headed by J. Edgar Hoover. Today
this is known as the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI). Palmer organized raids on
various radical organizations, mostly rounding
up immigrants who were then deported, or
expelled from the country.
III. The Red Scare (pages 393–394)
III. The Red Scare (pages 393–394)
How did the Red Scare change the attitude of
Americans toward immigrants?
Americans linked radicalism with immigrants.
This led Congress to limit immigration.
IV. An End to Progressivism (page 395)
A. Warren G. Harding won the election in 1920
with a campaign that called for a return to
“normalcy,” or a return to the simpler days
before the Progressive Era reforms.
B. Harding won the election by a landslide.
The American people liked the idea of
returning to a simpler time.
IV. An End to Progressivism (page 395)
Why did Americans like the idea of a return to
“normalcy”?
Americans had a general sense of
disillusionment because of economic problems,
labor unrest, and racial tensions. They wanted an
end to the upheaval. They liked the idea of
returning to simpler times before reform.
Vocabulary
Match the term on the left with the correct definition.
___
C
___
A
cost of living
___
D
___
F
widespread
___
B
___
E
deport
general strike
authorities
restoration
A. a strike involving all the workers in
a particular geographic location
B. to expel individuals from the
country
C. the cost of purchasing goods and
services essential for survival
D. having influence on or affecting a
large group
E. to rebuild something to resemble
its original state
F. those who have control over
determining and enforcing what is
right or wrong
Checking for Understanding
Describe the conditions that African Americans
faced after the end of World War I.
They faced racism and intense competition for
housing and jobs.
Reviewing Big Ideas
Summarizing Why did Republican Warren G.
Harding win the election of 1920?
He campaigned on a return to “normalcy,”
which many wanted.
Critical Thinking
Analyzing Provide evidence to explain how
the Palmer raids deprived some citizens of their
civil and political rights?
They abused civil liberties by searching without
a warrant, jailing subjects indefinitely, and
limiting lawyer-client communication.
Critical Thinking
Organizing Use a graphic organizer similar to
the one below to list the causes of the Red
Scare in the United States.
strikes, bombings, and Palmer Raids, fear of
Communists seizing power
Analyzing Visuals
Analyzing Photographs Study the photograph
shown here. How might parades such as this one
mobilize African Americans to work for an end
to discrimination?
African Americans would
note that they had fought
for their country and
deserved to be
treated equally.
Chapter Summary