Chapter 21—America and The Great War
I. The “Big Stick”: America and the World, 1901-1917
A. Roosevelt and “Civilization”
1. Racial and Economic Basis of Roosevelt’s Diplomacy—What was Roosevelt’s distinction between “civilized” and
“uncivilized” nations? How did economics modify his distinctions? What did this distinction give some nations the right to do?
B. Protecting the “Open Door” in Asia—How did Roosevelt become involved in Asian affairs?
1. “Great White Fleet”—What was Roosevelt trying to accomplish with “The Great White Fleet”?
C. The Iron-Fisted Neighbor—Where did the U.S. routinely intervene, and why?
1. “Roosevelt Corollary”—What was the “Roosevelt Corollary” (and what was it a corollary to?)? How and where did
Roosevelt apply his corollary?
2. Platt Amendment—What was the Platt Amendment?
D. The Panama Canal—How had the U.S. attempted to acquire the canal zone? Why was it unsuccessful?
1. Panamanian Revolt—How did the U.S. ultimately acquire the canal zone?
E. Taft and “Dollar Diplomacy”—What was the goal of “Dollar Diplomacy”?
F. Diplomacy and Morality
1. Wilson’s Moral Diplomacy—What events unfolded in Mexico that led to American involvement there?
2. Veracruz—Who was Pancho Villa and how did his actions lead to American intervention in Mexico? Who led the American
forces in Mexico?
II.
The Road to War
A. The Collapse of the European Peace
1. Competing Alliances—What was the two main competing alliances in Europe (and who was in them)? What was the
triggering event of World War I? What events transpired from July 30 – August 6, 1914 and how many nations were at war by
then?
B. Wilson’s Neutrality—What did Wilson want people to do in reaction to the war? What did they do? Who became known as
the “Allies”? Who were the “Central Powers”?
1. Economic Ties to Britain—Why did the U.S. develop closer ties to the Allies instead of the Central Powers?
2. Lusitania—To what form of warfare had the Germans resorted and why? What happened to the Lusitania and what was the
result?
C. Preparedness versus Pacifism—What was Wilson’s slogan during the election of 1916?
D. A War for Democracy—What did Wilson need in order to lead the country to war?
1. Zimmermann Telegram—What was the Zimmermann telegram?
III.
“War Without Stint”—What was the state of the war in 1917?
A. Entering the War—How did American entry into the war affect shipping in the Atlantic?
1. Russian Revolution—How did the Russian Revolution affect the German war effort?
B. The American Expeditionary Force
1. Selective Service Act—How did most soldiers enter the armed forces during WWI?
2. African American Soldiers—What were conditions like for African American soldiers during the war? What affect did IQ
tests have during the war (and why were they used)?
C. The Military Struggle
1. General John Pershing—What was Pershing’s role during the war? When did the war end?
D. The New Technology of Warfare—What were the innovations that made WWI the most devastating war to date (and what
were the effects on how the war was fought)?
1. High Casualty Rates—What were the casualty rates during the war? How many casualties did the U.S. have compared to the
other major powers in the war?
IV.
The War and American Society
A. Organizing the Economy for War
1. Financing the War—In what tow ways did the country get funds for WWI?
2. War Industries Board—What was the job of the WIB, and what did it control?
3. Lessons of the Managed Economy—What lessons did leaders learn from the experience of WWI?
B. Labor and the War—What was the National War Labor Board and what were some of its accomplishments?
1. Ludlow Massacre—What was the Ludlow Massacre?
C. Economic and Social Results of the War—What economic effects occurred because of the war?
1. “Great Migration”—What was the “Great Migration”, who migrated, and why? What were the results?
2. Race Riots—Why did race riots occur? What happened to American women laborers after the war?
V.
The Futile Search for Social Unity—What was the product of the Progressives’ push for social unity?
A. The Peace Movement—Who in America opposed the war?
B. Selling the War and Suppressing Dissent
1. CPI—What was the CPI and what its goal? How did the CPI go about achieving its goal?
2. Espionage Act—What was the Espionage Act and what were its effects?
3. Sedition Act—What was the Sedition Act and was its effect? Who was Eugene V. Debs, and what happened to him?
4. Repressing Dissent—What was the American Protective League?
5. “100 Percent Americanism”—Who were the victims of political repression?
VI.
The Search for a New World Order
A. The Fourteen Points
1. Wilson’s Idealistic Vision—What was Wilson’s peace plan called? What were the three main areas that Wilson’s plan
focused on?
B. Early Obstacles
1. Allied Intransigence—What did the European powers want out of the peace process after the war? How did Wilson anger
Republicans?
C. The Paris Peace Conference
1. The Big Four—Who were the “Big Four”? Who was not at the peace conference? How did Americans become involved in
the Russian Revolution?
2. Wilson’s Retreat—On what issues was Wilson forced to compromise?
3. Reparations—What were reparations from the war?
4. League of Nations—What was the purpose of the Leagues of Nations?
D. The Ratification Battle—Why were many Americans hesitant about Wilson’s peace plan?
1. Wilson’s Intransigence—How did Wilson’s attitude hold up ratification of the Treaty of Versailles?
2. Henry Cabot Lodge—How did Senate Republicans try to hold up the treaty?
E. Wilson’s Ordeal—What tactics did Wilson use to try to get the treaty passed? What happened to him? What ultimately
happened to the Treaty of Versailles?
VII.
A Society in Turmoil
A. Industry and Labor—What happened to the American economy after the war?
1. Postwar Recession—Why did workers go on strike? In what year was the peak of strike activity? What were some of the
famous strikes that year?
B. The Demands of African Americans
1. New Black Attitudes—How has WWI changed black attitudes in American society? What occurred in 1919?
2. Chicago Race Riots—What happened in Chicago? How were the 1919 race riots different from prior race riots?
3. Marcus Garvey’s Black Nationalism—To whom did Marcus Garvey appeal? What was his message?
C. The Red Scare—Why did concern about Communism grow in 1919? What events occurred in America to heighten the
anxiety?
1. Popular Antiradicalism—What was the “Red Scare”? What events were blamed on radicalism? What did libraries and
universities do?
2. Palmer Raids—What were the Palmer raids and what was the result?
3. Refuting the Red Scare—What group was founded in the wake of the Red Scare?
D. The Retreat from Idealism—On what pledge did Warren Harding campaign for president?