Review Sheet for the Midterm
World War I
How neutral were we prior to the U.S. entry into World War I?
Not very neutral – Trading with England & France rather than Germany
Why did the U.S. declare war on Germany?
Many reasons, but ultimately Germany resuming unrestricted sub warfare
How did the U.S. abridge civil liberties during World War I?
We denied civil liberties to those that were suspected of disloyalty and spoke out against
the war
How did World War I affect the American economy?
Growth: business, industry, jobs, agriculture, worker prosperity, but also inflation,
What were Wilson’s Fourteen Points?
freedom of the seas, no secret treaties, free trade, reduce military, less imperialism,
establish a League of Nations
What were the political and social changes during the war?
Suffrage, Prohibition, Immigration restriction, Increased intolerance
Why did Wilson want the U.S. to sign the Treaty of Versailles?
League of Nations
The 1920s
What was U.S. foreign policy after World War I? Isolationism
What kind of president was Warren G. Harding?
Republican: Favored big business: Overall bad... Weak leadership and corrupt
administration... The “Ohio Gang”
What were the causes of the Red Scare?
Fear of communism in American society/ communist revolution... Fear was encouraged
by labor unrest
Describe the economy of the 1920s.
Business growth, New consumer products, Urbanization
How did the government treat big business in the 1920s?
Republicans favored policies greatly favoring big business
What contributed to an unstable economy at the end of the 1920s?
Unequal distribution of wealth, easy and over extended credit, abuses within the stock
market
Over what issues did the modernists and the fundamentalists disagree?
The Scopes Trial: Creationism (Biblical) v. Modernism (Evolution)
The Great Depression & the New Deal
How did Herbert Hoover respond to the Great Depression?
Opposed direct aid because it would hurt our work ethic.. “welfare is not useful”
How did FDR respond to the Great Depression?
“Bold, persistent experimentation” …experiment with new programs The 100 Days
Who were the critics of FDR and why did they criticize him?
Coughlin, Long, Townsend, Sinclair
Ended free enterprise system
Loss of local and state government power
Too much federal control
What are the key elements of the New Deal?
What was the greatest political defeat for FDR?
Court Packing
What are the important legacies of the New Deal?
Increased the role of government in American
Categorize the New Deal Programs as to Relief, Recovery, and Reform.
World War II
How did the U.S. respond to the aggressor nations during the 1930s?
What were the Neutrality Acts?
What is the significance of the Munich Pact?
Britain and France consented to Germany’s prior aggression
What was the non-aggression pact between Hitler and Stalin? Why was it signed?
Following Czechoslovakia invasion…Non aggression… divided Poland
Define: cash and carry, destroyers for bases deal, Lend-Lease Act
How did the U.S. respond to the attack on Pearl Harbor?
Europe first Japan second
How did World War II affect our economy?
Started industry for all out war production
large scale industrial production.
employed women
How were minority groups (African – Americans, Japanese, Mexicans) treated
during World War II? Focus on Japanese American internment & segregated military
What was decided at the:
Yalta Conference? …Division of Germany into zones and the future of Poland
Potsdam Conference? …Warned Japan to surrender or be destroyed.
The Atlantic Charter? …Economic cooperation, self-determination, freedom of the
seas. … Reflecting Woodrow Wilson