World War I - Big Quiz

For Dr. Atwater’s WWI Big Quiz in Mid-April 2026. This set was generated using AI based on provided class resources and materials; while it aims to be accurate and comprehensive, it may contain minor errors or omissions.

WWI

Global conflict from 1914–1918 involving over 30 nations; caused by militarism, alliances, imperialism, nationalism; resulted in ~10 million soldier deaths and major political/social changes

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

June 28, 1914 killing of Austrian heir by Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo; immediate spark that triggered WWI

Militarism

Belief in strong military buildup; caused arms race (especially Britain vs Germany) and made war more likely

Alliances

System of mutual defense agreements that created a “chain reaction” dragging countries into war

Imperialism

Competition for colonies/resources in Africa/Asia; increased tensions between European powers

Nationalism

Extreme pride and desire for independence or expansion; fueled conflict (e.g., Serbia, France, Russia)

Triple Alliance

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy; Central Powers core (Italy later switched sides)

Triple Entente

France, Russia, Great Britain; later became main Allied Powers

Central Powers

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria

Allied Powers

Britain, France, Russia, later U.S., Italy, Japan, and others

Otto von Bismarck

Created alliance system to maintain balance of power and isolate France

Reinsurance Treaty

Agreement where Germany and Russia promised neutrality; ended in 1890 → pushed Russia toward France

“Splendid Isolation”

Britain’s policy of avoiding alliances before WWI

Pan-Slavism

Russian policy supporting Slavic peoples (like Serbia), increasing tension with Austria-Hungary

Alsace-Lorraine

Territory lost by France to Germany; major source of French resentment

Black Hand

Serbian nationalist group connected to assassination of Franz Ferdinand

Blank Check

Germany’s unconditional support to Austria-Hungary after assassination

Ultimatum to Serbia

Austria-Hungary’s harsh demands; rejection led to war

Mobilization

Preparing armies for war; escalated tensions quickly

Schlieffen Plan

Germany’s plan to avoid two-front war by quickly defeating France via Belgium before Russia mobilized

Battle of the Marne

1914 battle that stopped German advance; led to trench warfare stalemate

Trench Warfare

Defensive war strategy using trenches; caused long stalemate and massive casualties

Western Front

Static, trench-based fighting in France/Belgium

Eastern Front

More mobile war between Germany/Austria and Russia

Total War

Entire society mobilized for war (economy, civilians, propaganda)

Propaganda

Information used to influence public opinion and support war

Rationing

Limiting resources for civilians to support war effort

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

German U-boat attacks on all ships; led to U.S. entry

Sinking of the Lusitania

German attack in 1915 killing civilians including Americans; shifted U.S. opinion

Zimmermann Note

German message urging Mexico to attack U.S.; pushed U.S. into war

Woodrow Wilson

U.S. president who proposed Fourteen Points and League of Nations

Fourteen Points

Plan for peace including self-determination and League of Nations

League of Nations

International organization to prevent future wars (U.S. never joined)

Armistice

Agreement to stop fighting; signed Nov. 11, 1918 (end of WWI)

Treaty of Versailles

Peace treaty punishing Germany; included war guilt and reparations

War Guilt Clause

Forced Germany to accept blame for WWI

Reparations

Payments Germany had to make for war damages

Demilitarization of Rhineland

Germany forbidden from having military in this region

Paris Peace Conference

Meeting of Allied leaders to decide peace terms

Big Four

Wilson (U.S.), Lloyd George (Britain), Clemenceau (France), Orlando (Italy)

Self-Determination

Idea that nations should govern themselves; inconsistently applied after WWI

Mandates

Former colonies of defeated powers controlled by Allies

Russo-Japanese War

1904–1905 war where Japan defeated Russia, showing shift in global power

Emperor Meiji

Modernized Japan, enabling it to become a world power

Moroccan Crisis (1905, 1911)

Conflicts over Morocco that increased tension between Germany and France/Britain

Balkan Crisis

Conflicts in Balkans involving Serbia, Austria-Hungary, and others; increased instability

Powder Keg of Europe

Balkans nickname due to high tensions and nationalism

Gallipoli Campaign

Failed Allied attempt to control Dardanelles and weaken Ottoman Empire

Winston Churchill

Planned Gallipoli; resigned after failure

Russian Revolution (1917)

Overthrow of czar; Russia exits war under Bolsheviks

Bolsheviks

Communist group led by Vladimir Lenin that took control of Russia

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Agreement where Russia left WWI and gave territory to Germany

Social Changes WWI

Decline of aristocracy, rise of middle/lower classes, women gained suffrage

Women’s Suffrage

Women gained voting rights in many countries due to wartime roles

Global Impact of WWI

Shift of power from Europe to U.S.; rise of nationalism in colonies; economic devastation

Decolonization

Colonies pushing for independence after WWI

Sykes-Picot Agreement

Secret British-French plan to divide Ottoman lands; angered Arabs

Balfour Declaration

British support for Jewish homeland in Palestine; increased Middle East tensions

New Nations After WWI

Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia formed from collapsed empires

Collapse of Empires

German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian empires ended

Adolf Hitler

Rose to power partly due to German anger over Treaty of Versailles

Fascism

Political system emphasizing nationalism and dictatorship (rose after WWI)