U.S. History: WWI, 1920s, and Great Depression Key Concepts

What factor led President Wilson to ask Congress for a declaration of war in 1917?

The German decision to resume unrestricted submarine warfare.

What development illustrates expanded federal authority during World War I?

The creation of the War Industries Board.

Why did the U.S. Senate reject the Treaty of Versailles?

Many senators feared Article X would undermine congressional war powers.

What broader wartime trend did the Espionage and Sedition Acts reflect?

A fear that dissent and labor unrest would weaken national unity.

What was a major long-term impact of the Great Migration?

Demographic and cultural changes that led to influential Black political blocs.

What drove the resurgence of the KKK in the 1920s?

Anti-immigrant nativism and fears of social change.

Why was the Scopes Trial significant?

It symbolized tensions between fundamentalist values and modern scientific perspectives.

What economic weakness contributed to the 1929 stock market crash?

Excessive speculation and margin buying.

What did President Hoover believe was essential to preserve American individualism during the Depression?

Voluntary cooperation among businesses and local institutions.

Which group benefited most from WWI labor shortages?

African Americans and women.

How did U.S. neutrality from 1914 to 1916 favor the Allies economically?

British blockades limited trade with Germany while loans to Allies increased.

What were the broader social effects of WWI on the U.S.?

Rising suspicion of radicals and immigrants.

What explains the weakness of labor unions in the 1920s?

Employer-driven campaigns portraying unions as radical.

What was a direct outcome of Prohibition?

The growth of an illicit black market.

Why did farmers struggle economically in the 1920s?

Overproduction and falling prices.

What change did the automobile bring to American life?

Growth of suburban communities and a shift toward mobility-centered culture.

What factor explains support for immigration restriction in the 1920s?

Nativist fears and pseudoscientific theories about racial hierarchy.

What does the Harlem Renaissance signify?

An artistic movement asserting Black identity and reshaping national culture.

What practice contributed to the banking crisis after 1929?

Banks' speculative investment of depositor funds.

Why did the stock market crash trigger an economic collapse?

Falling stock prices destroyed consumer confidence and destabilized banks.