N5 History Era of the Great War

Taken from past paper marking instructions (2026 and earlier)

What were pull factors for Scots volunteering to fight on the Western Front? (7)

Pull factors:

1. Patriotism

2. Military tradition

3. Excitement

4. Camaraderie → Pals Battalions

5. “Over by Christmas”

6. Guilt

7. Anger at German aggression

What were push factors for Scots volunteering to fight on the Western Front? (4)

Push Factors:

1. Unemployment

2. Propaganda → Excitement

3. Women → White Feather Campaign

4. Peer pressure

What were the new roles taken by women during the Great War? (4)

1. Heavy industry

2. Police and ambulances

3. Farms

4. Public transport - Glasgow trams

How did women’s lives change in the Great War?

1. New jobs → responsible for home and work

2. Greater financial freedom

3. Social freedom → girls at the pub

4. Sports → Beardmore women’s football team

5. Practical fashions

6. Political leaders → Mary MacArthur trade unionist

Why did heavy industry decrease after WW1? (5+)

1. Foreign competition (coal, jute, ships)

2. Trade slump (less trade = less need for merchant ships)

3. Wartime demand (metalwork, sandbags for jute, Navy boats)

4. Lack of innovation (during the war)

5. Industrial relations (strikers)

What happened during the Glasgow Rent Strikes?

1. Glasgow Women’s Housing Association resisted evictions and rents

2. Women made warning signals for baliffs

3. Women attacked and harassed sheriffs

4. Refusal to pay rent increases

5. Protests at small debt courts

6. Prosecution of women led to strike from shipyard workers

7. Some employers gave support

8. Parliamentary commission set up

What was life in the trenches like? (5)

1. Wet → trench foot

2. Rats and lice → kilts

3. Canned food

4. Shell shock

5. Boredom and fear

What weapons were used in WW1? (5)

1. Artillery → most widely used

2. Gas (mustard, chlorine, phosgene) → unreliable (wind)

3. Tanks → Somme, broke in mud

4. Machine guns

5. Aircraft → reconnaissance and later w/ guns

Who was General Douglas Haig?

Scottish “hero of the Somme”

Commander in Chief of British Forces from 1915

Artillery + over the top tactics criticised for loss of life, but some argue wore down the Germans

What were the provisions of DORA? (3)

Defence of the Realm Act

1. Pub opening hours cut + strength of beer limited

2. Government could take factories and turn into munitions

3. Press could be censored

When was rationing introduced and what were the key foods?

1917 - sugar, meat and butter

When was conscription introduced and who was included?

January 1916 for single men age 18-40, March 1916 for married men, men to 50 years in 1918

Conscientious objectors → absolutists in hard labour camps

How many Scots died in WW1?

75000-15000

26.4% of enlisted Scots died, while only 11.8% overall enlisted died

What Scottish industries were boosted by WW1? (4)

1. Shipbuilding → Royal Navy control of Clyde

2. Jute → sandbags, Dundee

3. Agriculture

4. Munitions factories

How did industry change after WW1?

1. Decline of heavy industry (low demand, international competition)

2. Decline of fishing (U-Boat attacks, buyers moved elsewhere)

3. Decline of agriculture (new technologies)

4. Growth of new industries in Midlands (cars, chemicals, electric) → did not benefit Scots

How did the franchise change after the war?

1918 → franchised men over 21 and women over 30 within property qualifications

1928 → equal franchise for women

How did the British government try to provide housing for returning soldiers?

Lloyd George’s “Homes for Heroes” 1919

500 000 homes, only 213 000 built

Why was the franchise extended? (9)

Suffragettes and Gists

1. violent campaigns → pressure

2. force-feeding → sympathy

3. threats to restart violent campaign post-war

4. Suffragists peaceful campaigns

WW1

5. Women’s war work → reward and showed responsibility

6. Women’s involvement in local politics

7. Reward for men’s service

Other

8. Follow other countries examples

9. To gain votes from new voters