(test thursday 9/24/26) World History Chapter 16 Study Guide: WWI and the Russian Revolution

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the major events of WWI, United States involvement, the Fall of the Tsar, the Bolshevik Revolution, and the Treaty of Versailles.

Nicholas II

The Tsar of Russia during World War I who was forced to abdicate his throne during the March Revolution of 1917.

Alexandra

The wife of Tsar Nicholas II who managed government decisions and relied heavily on the Russian monk Rasputin.

Rasputin

A Russian monk relied upon heavily by Tsar Nicholas II's wife Alexandra, contributing to political instability.

March Revolution

A spontaneous rebellion in March 1917 where Russian people and Tsar Nicholas II's personal troops (Red Guard) forced the Tsar to give up his throne.

Provisional Government

The temporary government that assumed power in Russia after Tsar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate in March 1917.

Petrograd Soviet

A governing body set up in Russia made up of soldiers and workers who demanded immediate peace, land for peasants, and worker control of factories.

Battle of Tannenberg

A World War I German victory over Russia in which the Russian 2nd army was completely destroyed and 90,000 Russian soldiers were taken prisoner.

First Battle of the Marne

A World War I battle where Allies successfully stopped the German advance to Paris, leading to the start of trench warfare.

Second Battle of Ypres

The World War I battle that marked the first time a large-scale poison gas attack was used in combat.

Battle of the Somme

An Allied offensive that became the largest and bloodiest battle of World War I.

Battle of Jutland

A large naval battle fought during World War I.

Meuse-Argonne Offensive

The last major Allied offensive of World War I, in which American forces fought.

Woodrow Wilson

The President of the United States during World War I who authored the Fourteen Points and represented the U.S. at the Paris peace conference.

Lusitania

A British passenger ship sunk by German submarines, resulting in 128 American deaths and pushing the United States toward entering World War I.

Zimmerman Note

A secret message in which Germany promised to return land to Mexico that the U.S. had won from them if Mexico joined the Central Powers.

Fourteen Points

Woodrow Wilson's peace plan consisting of freedom of the seas, weapon reduction, ending secret alliances, self-determination, fair colony settlement, and establishing a League of Nations.

American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)

The fresh United States troops sent to fight in World War I under the leadership of General John J. Pershing.

John J. Pershing

The military commander who led the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I.

William S. Sims

The naval officer who created the Convoy System to protect ships against submarine attacks.

Convoy System

A strategy created by William S. Sims where ships traveled together to avoid being attacked by submarines.

Lenin

The leader of the Bolshevik Revolution who promised 'Peace, land, and bread,' removed Russia from WWI, led the Reds in the Russian Civil War, and organized the Checka.

Bolshevik Revolution

A bloodless revolution led by Lenin in which the Provisional Government gave in, bringing Communists to power in Russia.

Reds

The Communist forces led by Lenin that fought and won the Russian Civil War against supporters of the Tsar.

Whites

The supporters of the Tsar who fought against the Communist Reds during the Russian Civil War.

Checka

The secret police organized by Lenin during his reign of terror to arrest anyone deemed an enemy of the state.

Armistice

An agreement to end war, signed by Germany on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (November 11, 1918).

Peace of Paris

A series of peace treaty negotiations starting in January 1919 where delegates from 27 nations gathered in Paris without representation from the Central Powers.

The Big Four

The principal leaders at the Paris peace conference: Wilson (United States), Lloyd-George (Great Britain), Clemenceau (France), and Orlando (Italy).

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty specifically addressing Germany after WWI; it reduced Germany's military and territory, imposed reparations, formed the League of Nations, and led to WWII.

Reparations

Payments required from Germany under the Treaty of Versailles to cover total war damages.

League of Nations

An international peace-keeping organization created to settle future disputes, which the United States never joined due to concerns over its charter.