The first world war

What event directly triggered the start of World War I?

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Which nations made up the Central Powers?

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire

Why did the US initially remain neutral at the start of WWI?

Cultural ties to both Britain and Germany

What was Britain's main strategy to weaken Germany early in the war?

Imposing a naval blockade

How did Germany respond to the British blockade?

Unrestricted submarine warfare

What major incident shifted American public opinion against Germany?

Sinking of the Lusitania

Why did Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan resign?

He disagreed with Wilson's harsh approach to Germany

What renewed German aggression pushed the US closer to war in 1917?

Return to unrestricted submarine warfare

What did the Zimmerman Telegram propose?

German support for Mexico to regain lost U.S. territory

When did the US declare war on Germany?

April 1917

What was the main reason trench warfare caused a stalemate?

Defensive technology was stronger than offensive tactics

What did the Selective Service Act require?

Men ages 21-30 to register for the draft

What name was given to American soldiers arriving in Europe?

Doughboys

What major battles did American troops help win in 1918?

Belleau Wood & Second Battle of the Marne

What was the main purpose of the Committee on Public Information?

Spread pro-war propaganda

What did the Espionage and Sedition Acts make illegal?

Criticize the government's war policy

What principle did Schenck v. United States establish?

Speech posing a 'clear and present danger' can be limited

What result did anti-German sentiment in the US lead to?

Renaming of German foods like sauerkraut

Why were Victory Gardens encouraged?

To increase domestic food production

How did the US raise most of the money for the war?

Liberty Bond campaigns

Which statement reflects Wilson's Fourteen Points?

A League of Nations to prevent future wars

Why did European leaders oppose most of Wilson's ideas?

They wanted a harsher treaty to punish Germany

What part of the Treaty of Versailles worried Senator Henry Cabot Lodge most?

Article X (League of Nations obligations)

Why did the US ultimately reject the Treaty of Versailles?

Conflict between Wilson and Lodge, isolationism, and ethnic opposition

What long-term consequence do many historians connect to the US rejecting the League of Nations?

Conditions leading to World War II