World War I Flashcards
What were the 4 LONG-TERM causes of World War I?
MAIN: Militarism Alliances Imperialism Nationalism
What was the immediate cause (or spark) of World War I?
A Serbian nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This kicked into effect the alliance
What was America’s response to the outbreak of World War I in Europe?
Neutrality. Woodrow Wilson urged the American people to be neutral in thought as well as in action. However, we did show a preference for the Allied side (England and France, in particular) when we traded much more with them than we did with Germany or the other Central Powers.
Explain the reason the United States entered World War I.
The US joined the war because it felt that its freedom of the seas was being violated. German U-Boats kept sinking American merchant ships engaged in trade and commerce. After the outrage of the Lusitania, Germany pledged not to continue its submarine warfare on American merchant (trading) ships. However, when Germany later announced that it was resuming UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE, the US entered the war.
What was the Zimmerman Note (also called the Zimmerman Telegram)?
A telegram intercepted by the British in February 1917. The telegram was written by a German government official to Mexico, promising Texas, Arizona and New Mexico to the country of Mexico if Mexico supported Germany in the war and did its best to keep America distracted here in our hemisphere so America would not join the war in Europe. This outraged Americans and led America to distrust Mexico.
Why was the Russian Revolution an important step in leading to the entry of the United States into World War I?
The Russian Revolution ended in the overthrow of the czar in Russia and the creation of a temporary republican government in which the people of Russia were able to elect their representatives. This meant the US could now enter WWI and claim to be fighting for democracy in the world.
This was a list of ideas (or terms) of Woodrow Wilson for resolving World War I and preventing future wars. It really laid out Woodrow Wilson’s vision for the world AFTER World War I. Wilson was viewed around the world as a hero for this list of ideas.
The Fourteen Points
What was the Selective Service Act of 1917?
A law passed by Congress that established a system to draft (or conscript) men into the armed forces of the United States. In short, it was the law that helped America build up an army to send “over there” to fight the war in Europe.
Under this law, males between 18 and 45 were required to register for the draft. In the end, 24 million men registered and over 4 million served in the armed forces in World War I.
These two laws were passed by Congress in 1918 and placed restrictions and limits on the freedoms of the press and speech. One act outlawed obstructing the draft in any way and helped lead to the case of Schenck vs. United States.
Espionage and Sedition Act
Who was Charles Schenck?
Schenck was a socialist who opposed the draft of Americans into the military to fight in WWI. He was arrested and put on trial for handing out flyers that spoke out against the draft and encouraged men NOT to register for the draft. This was seen as a violation of the Espionage Act.
What was the Constitutional Issue in the case of Schenck vs. United States?
Schenck claimed that his FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT of Freedom of Speech was being violated. He viewed his act of handing out antiwar flyers as freedom of speech.
How did the Supreme Court rules in Schenck vs. United States?
The court ruled that the US Government (under the Espionage act) WAS ALLOWED to pass a law that restricted freedom of speech because the government proved that Schecnk’s speech (in the form of antiwar flyers) posed a “CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER.” Schenck LOST the case.
What was the name of the British ship carrying 128 Americans that was sunk by the Germans, leading to outrage by the American people?
The Lusitania.
This British claimed this ship was only carrying people and trade goods. However, it was later discovered the ship was carrying a lot of ammunition that could have been used in the war effort.
Which countries made up the “Big Four” that met at the Paris Peace Conference at the end of World War I?
The United States (Woodrow Wilson); England (David Lloyd George); France (Georges Clemenceau) and Italy (Vittorio Orlando)
How did the other three members of the “Big Four” react to Wilson’s Fourteen Points Plan?
They basically ripped it apart, piece-by-piece. In the end, the one major provision left was the 14th point, calling for a League of Nations.
