Key Terms and Events of World War I

Neutrality

The policy of not taking sides in a conflict, especially during a war.

Allied Powers

Countries that fought together against the Central Powers in WW1, including the UK, France, Russia, and later, the U.S.

Central Powers

Countries that fought against the Allies in WW1, including Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

A type of naval warfare where submarines attack ships without warning, including civilian ships, often used by Germany in WW1.

Lusitania

A British passenger ship sunk by a German U-boat in 1915, killing many Americans and leading to U.S. public outrage.

Sussex Pledge

A promise by Germany in 1916 to stop sinking non-military ships without warning after the sinking of the Sussex, a French passenger ship.

Election of 1916 ("He kept us out of war")

U.S. presidential election where Woodrow Wilson ran on a platform of keeping America out of WW1, winning re-election.

Zimmermann Telegram

A secret German message to Mexico in 1917 proposing a military alliance against the U.S., which helped push the U.S. into WW1.

Russian Revolution

The 1917 overthrow of the Russian monarchy, leading to the creation of a communist government under Lenin.

American Expeditionary Force (AEF)

The U.S. military force sent to Europe in WW1, commanded by General John J. Pershing.

John J. Pershing in WW1

The American general who led the AEF during WW1.

November 11, 1918

The day World War I ended, when Germany signed an armistice with the Allies.

Fourteen Points

A speech by President Wilson outlining his vision for a peaceful post-WW1 world, including ideas for free trade, self-determination, and the League of Nations.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace agreement that officially ended WW1, imposing harsh penalties on Germany and reshaping Europe.

League of Nations (Did U.S. join?)

An international organization created after WW1 to maintain peace, but the U.S. did not join due to opposition in Congress.

Henry Cabot Lodge

A U.S. senator who opposed the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations, arguing it could drag the U.S. into more wars.

National War Labor Board

A U.S. government agency during WW1 that helped settle labor disputes to prevent strikes and keep wartime production going.

Liberty Bonds

War bonds sold to American citizens to help finance WW1.

Selective Service Act

A law passed in 1917 requiring men to register for the draft to serve in the military during WW1.

Committee on Public Information

A government agency that worked to promote support for WW1 through propaganda and public information campaigns.

Espionage Act (1917)

A law that punished people for spying, aiding the enemy, or interfering with military operations during WW1.

Sedition Act (1918)

A law that expanded the Espionage Act, making it illegal to speak out against the government or war effort.

Schenck v. United States

A Supreme Court case in 1919 that upheld the conviction of a man who opposed the draft, ruling that free speech could be limited in times of national security threat.

Great Migration (1910s)

The movement of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North for better jobs and living conditions during and after WW1.

1918 Pandemic

The global flu pandemic that killed millions of people worldwide, spreading rapidly after WW1.

First Red Scare

A period of fear and suspicion in the U.S. after WW1, focused on the potential spread of communism and anarchism.

Palmer Raids

A series of government actions in 1919-1920, led by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, to arrest and deport suspected radicals and communists.

Race Riots

Violent outbreaks of racial tension, particularly between white and African American communities, during the post-WW1 period.

Tulsa Massacre

A violent attack by white mobs on the Black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1921, destroying the prosperous Greenwood district and killing many African Americans.