2. Chapter 31 in American Pageant
America And World War I
Chapter 31 in American Pageant

3. Essential Questions: What were the causes of WWI?
Why did America become involved in WWI?
What were the consequences of WWI for America and the world?

4. Four Main Causes of WWI
Militarism: The development of armed forces and their use as a tool of diplomacy
An arms race developed between world powers when countries all tried to get better and stronger weapons than the others
Imperialism: The process of becoming a more powerful nation by getting control over weaker nations
Led to competition for colonies between European nations and eventually America
Nationalism: A devotion to the interests and culture of one’s nation.
Led to competitive rivalries between nations in Europe
Alliances: a formal agreement of union between nations

5. System of Alliances Triple Entente: The Allies
France
Britain
Russia
Triple Alliance: Central Powers
Germany
Austria-Hungary
Italy
Ottoman Empire
These alliances grouped together and when the war started they all supported each other

7. WWI Leaders – The Big Four
Wilson: American President
George Clemenceau: French leader
David Lloyd George: British Prime Minister
Vittorio Orlando: Italian Prime Minister

8. German Leader: Kaiser Wilhelm II
Wilhelm II Bio at: .shtml

9. Assassination Sparks War
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand: Heir to the Austria- Hungarian throne
This caused Austria Hungary and it’s allies to declare war Serbia and it’s Allies
Assassin Gavrilo Princip
Archduke Franz Ferdninand

11. Lead Up to American Involvement
1915:
Lusitania: A British liner that was sunk by the Germans in which 1,198 people died (128 Americans)
1917:
Germany declared intent of unrestricted submarine warfare against American ships in the war zone – sank 4 unarmed US merchant ships
Convoy System: a system in which merchant ships would cross the Atlantic in large groups to prevent enemy attack
Zimmerman Note: a note from Germany revealing German support for Mexico against the US if the US entered the war
Russian Revolution: takes Russia out of the war
April 2, 1917: Wilson asks Congress to declare war on Germany

12. Russian Revolution
Vladmir Lenin: Led a coup of the Russian government by the Bolsheviks.
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This event took Russia out of World War I

13. American Homefront
War Industries Board: committees set up to efficiently make supplies for the war effort led by Bernard Baruch
War Bonds: sold to raise money for the war effort
Committee on Public Information: sent out biased messages called propaganda to the American people in an effort to get them to support the war; led by George Creel
Propaganda: information spread to gain support for the war
Espionage and Sedition Act: a person could be punished for saying anything disloyal or for interfering with the war effort
Food Administration: led by Herbert Hoover, promoted rationing
National War Labor Board: created to limit labor disputes and maximize production
Great Migration: when hundreds of thousands of black Americans moved from the South to cities in the North during the war

14. Women and the War
NAWSA: Carrie Catt, Pro-War, largest woman’s movement
NWP: Alice Paul, Anti-Kaiser, Anti-War (smaller but more radical)
Thousands of women work in war production factories
Most went back to the home after the war
Sheppard – Towner Maternity Act of 1921: financed maternal and infant care instruction (Congress supporting the role of women as wives and mothers in the home)
1920: 19th Amendment ratified

15. American Troops Selective Service Act: required men to
register with the government for a random
draft (24 million men registered, 3 million
were called up)
American Expeditionary Force (AEF): The American forces led by General John J. Pershing
Conscientious Objector: a person who opposes a war on moral grounds
Pacifist: a person who objects to all wars
Mobilization: When a country prepares for war

16. Fighting WWI
No man’s land: A space between the two sides trenches that was extremely dangerous for a person to be in
Trench warfare: when soldiers dug into the field and fought for yards of land at a time (extremely deadly way to fight)
U-Boat: German submarines; often used against merchant ships

18. War Technology French BiPane Tanks Machine Guns German TriPlane
Grenades

19. Cost of War 22 million dead (1/2 civilians) 20 million wounded
10 million refugees
$338 billion spent on war
48,000 Americans killed in battle
62,000 Americans killed by disease
200,000 Americans wounded

20. Armistice
At 11 a.m. on 11 November 1918, (the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month), a ceasefire came into effect.
This is the date Americans celebrate Veterans Day.

24. Fourteen Points:
A speech given by Wilson to Congress about how the war should end
First 5 points about how to avoid a war like this in the future
No secret treaties among nations
Freedom of the seas for all
Tariffs and other economic barriers should be removed between countries to promote free trade
Arms should be reduced to the lowest amount possible while still maintaining domestic safety
Colonials powers should consider the interests of colonists as well as their own interests
Next 8 points dealt with boundary changes that called for self- determination (the right for people to make their own countries)
The 14th Point was a call to create a League of Nations (a group of reps for all countries that could meet and discuss problems to prevent them from escalating to war)

25. Treaty of Versailles Agreement after WWI
Established 9 new nations (including Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia)
Carved 5 areas out of the Ottoman Empire and gave them the France and England as temporary colonies until they were ready for self-rule
Barred Germany from maintaining an army
Made Germany return Alsace and Lorraine to France
Made Germany pay 33 billion dollars to the allies as reparations (war damages)
Included a war-guilt clause: forced Germany to admit sole responsibility for starting WWI