1912 - 1920 - Emergence on the World Stage

Question 1

How was Wilson progressive?

Answer 1

• Reduced tariffs on imports
• Strengthened the Sherman anti-trust act
• Reformed national banking system
• Extended the authority of federal gov

Question 2

How was the federal reserve act of 1913 progressive?

Answer 2

It maintained a balance between the interests of big business and the needs of the public.

Question 3

Clayton anti-trust act

Answer 3

• 1914
• Made certain business practices illegal
• A big hit for big business

Question 4

What financial reforms did Wilson introduce?

Answer 4

• First ever income tax

- Revenue act of 1916 taxed the rich and redistributed wealth

Question 5

Underwood tariff - When and what?

Answer 5

• October 1913

- Reduced many duties

Question 6

What was Wilsons attitude to trade unions?

Answer 6

In the 1913 coal miners strike he sent federal troops to break the strike

Question 7

Wilsons social reforms

Answer 7

• 1916 Workmen’s compensation act gave sick pay

- Adamson act laid down max 8 hour working day

Question 8

Wilson and AA’s

Answer 8

• Opposed anti-lynching legislation

- Appointed white southerners who extended segregation

Question 9

Reasons for US neutrality in WW1

Answer 9

• Prevailing public opinion that the war had nothing to do with them
• Didn’t want to waste money on conflict when there was no threat to American land

Question 10

4 Tensions concerning neutrality

Answer 10

• Pro-British feeling
• Anti-German feeling due to stories of German atrocities, and Wilson saw a German threat to US interests
• Allies benefitted more from US trade than Central powers
• Unrestricted submarine warfare

Question 11

Unrestricted submarine warfare

Answer 11

• First between Feb-Aug 1915
• Stopped when Wilson demonstrated anger at sinking of Lusitania
• Resumed January 1917 with just 8 hours notice, stating that Germany would sink all ships in the war zone.

Question 12

Sinking of the Lusitania

Answer 12

May 1915

Question 13

How many Americans died in the Lusitania sinking?

Answer 13

128, out of 1200 people

Question 14

What two key events happened in January 1917 that caused US to enter WW1?

Answer 14

• Resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare

- Interception of the Zimmerman telegraph

Question 15

What was Wilsons justification for his decision to enter the war?

Answer 15

• Realised that US could only influence the post war peace settlement if the US had fought
• Preferred to fight Germany now with an ally rather than potentially fight them alone in the future

Question 16

When did the USA declare war on Germany?

Answer 16

April 1917

Question 17

How much did the government collect in taxes for the war effort?

Answer 17

$10.5 billion

Question 18

During the war, food production increased from 12.3 million tons a year to…

Answer 18

18.6 million tons a year

Question 19

How many AA’s migrated north between 1914 and 1918

Answer 19

500,000

Question 20

What was the aim of Wilsons 14 points

Answer 20

To prevent any international conflict happening again.

Question 21

How did the war make the USA the worlds leading economy and industrial nation?

Answer 21

US hadn’t suffered huge losses, and had significantly profited from trading and loaning money.

Question 22

By 1920 the USA was producing and consuming what % of the worlds oil?

Answer 22

70%

Question 23

How was US society by 1920?

Answer 23

• Very diverse, and still unequal and divided
• AA’s were more conscious of their inequality
• Many Americans still championed laissez faire, so federal authority was still limited

Question 24

In 1920 what was the prevailing mood for foreign affairs?

Answer 24

A return to isolationism

Question 25

Why didn’t US want to join Wilsons League of Nations?

Answer 25

Because they wanted to return to isolationism, so didn’t want any international commitments.