Midterm Exam U.S. History
1. Which president was in office during World War 1?Woodrow Wilson
2. What were the M.A.I.N. reasons for World War 1?Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism
3. Define Isolationism- a foreign policy of not promising to help other countries if they go to war
4. Define neutral- a country who doesn’t take either side. What country tried to do this?USA
5. Define nationalism- a feeling of pride for one’s nation and culture
6. Define alliances- agreements made between nations to defend one another in case of war
7. Define militarism- the policy of having an aggressive military and a desire to go to war to solve a disagreement
8. What years did World War 1 take place?1914 to 1919
9. Define imperialism- action of a stronger nation to take control of a weaker one.
10. How did the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand tie into the war?The assassination provided the excuse that Europe needed to fight each other.
11. Name the Central Powers- Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Ottoman Empire
12. Name the Allied Powers- France, Great Britain, Russia, and Italy. Later the United States
13. Which country was blamed by Austria for the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand?Serbia
14. How did nationalism push Europe closer to war?War was the only way European countries could get back lost territory, and since people were proud of their country they were willing to fight.
Know what the following federal agencies did to prepare the economy for war and how this was accomplished.
15. War Industries Board- coordinated the production of war materials. Told manufactures what they could produce, allocated raw materials, new factory construction, and set prices
16. The Food Administration- increasing food production while reducing civilian consumption. Encourage families to eat less and grow vegetable
17. The Fuel Administration- managed use of coal and oil. Introduced the 1st daylight savings time, shortened workweeks, and encouraged heatless Mondays.
18. National War Labor Board- pressured industries to improve wages, adopt a 8 hour workdays, and allow Unions the right to organize. In exchange Union leaders would not strike
19. How did Congress help the war effort?Raised income tax, new taxes on corporations, extra tax on arms factories, and borrowed $20 billion through sale of Liberty Bonds and Victory Bonds
20. What was the Great Migration and how was Henry Ford involved?Great Migration was the movement of African Americas north to work. Henry Ford went south and convinced African Americans to come north for higher wages and more work
21. Define espionage- spying to acquire government information
22. Define The Espionage Act of 1917- made it illegal to aid the enemy, give false reports, or interfere with the war effort
23. Define The Sedition Act of 1918- illegal to speak against the war publicly
24. Define submarine- an underwater ship used in war
25. What was unrestricted submarine warfare?A war tactic of sinking ships of any kind, even passenger ships, without warning. What country used this strategy?Germany
26. What are U-boats?German submarines
27. Describe the sinking of the Lusitania. A German U-boat sank the British passenger ship Lusitania 1200 passengers died including 128 Americans
28. What was the Sussex Pledge?Germany would not sink non-military ships, merchant ships would be searched and only sank if they were transporting military supplies, and merchant ships would only be sunk after the crew was safe
29. How did the Germans hope to “starve” the Allies into ending the war?The Germans would use their U-boats to sink enough ships so the Allies would run out of food and war materials
30. How did the Zimmerman note push the United States toward war?It promised Mexico land in southwestern United States and Texas to them if they would join the Central Powers if the United States joined the war.
31. When did America declare war?April 6, 1917
32. What was the Selective Service Act?The act required that all men between 21 and 30 register for the draftWhen was it passed?May 1917
33. Describe the American Expeditionary Force- American troops sent to Europe in 1917
34. Define armistice- an agreement by both sides in a war to stop fighting
35. Who asked for the armistice and when did it take place?Germans on November 11, 1918 at 11 a.m.
36. What did President Wilson suggest with his Fourteen Points speech?A League of Nations
37. What countries were present at Versailles, France? 27 nationsWhat countries dominated the meeting?Four main allies: France, Britain, Italy, U.S. What countries were not allowed to come?The Central Powers- Germany
38. What did the Treaty of Versailles make Germany do?
- Take full blame for the war
- Surrender territory to surrounding nations
- Reduce the size of its military
- Pay reparations for the war
39. Define reparations- payments made for war expenses and damages
40. What was the red scare? Fear that a communist revolution would come to America
41. Describe the Palmer Raids. Why did they start? A series of terrorist bombing across the US Who was involved? Federal and local law enforcementWhy were they called the Palmer Raids? The raids were authorized by the U.S. Attorney General Mitchell Palmer What was the result? Around 6,000 people were arrested and over 600 were deported
42. Compare William H. Taft and Woodrow Wilson’s childhood and early life. Taft was born into a wealthy family. His father pushed Taft to become a lawyer, judge, and Attorney General. Educated in law at Yale University. Wilson was born into a middle class family in Virginia. Father was a minister and was very strict. Wilson’s family moved often around the South. Wilson graduated from Princeton with a law degree and practiced law in Atlanta. After a year of practicing law he became a professor and later the president of Princeton University.
43. Why did Roosevelt become a critic of Taft? Taft never lived up to Roosevelt’s expectations. Taft favored industrial development and raised tariffs which pleased big business.
44. How did Wilson win the election of 1912? Roosevelt created his own third party, The Bull Moose Party, and took votes away from Taft. This allowed Wilson to win the election.
45. Describe Wilson’s program New Freedom. Lowered import tariffs and created a Federal Reserve System which stabilize banking. Also curbed the abuse of child labor. Signed an act which gave farmers low interest rates on loans. Also worked for the passage of an anti-trust act which helped the government’s ability to break up trusts.