US Multiple Choice Questions: World War I
1. During World War I, conscientious
objectors to military service were
often accused of disloyalty, and
some conscientious objectors were
sentenced to prison. However, other
conscientious objectors were willing
to accept noncombatant service.
The assignment of conscientious
objectors to noncombatant service
was an attempt by the government to
a. Promote ethnic diversity within
the military
b. Educate people about their
constitutional rights
c. Balance individual rights and the
common good
d. Encourage people to apply for
conscientious objector status
2. During World War I, two revolutions
took place in Russia while Russia
was at war with Germany. Vladimir
Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik
Revolution said:
“There can be no doubt that
our army is absolutely in no
condition…to beat back a German
offensive successfully…”
V.I. Lenin
The excerpt above could be used to support
the thesis that
a. Lenin had few skills as a
military leader
b. Russia shared in the
responsibility for World
War I
c. Lenin believed that
Russia should withdraw
from World War I
d. The Bolshevik
Revolution had the
support of the Russian
army
3. Which of the following reasons
created the spark that started World
War I?
a.
b.
c.
d.
European alliances
American imperialism
The growth of military power
The assassination of Archduke
Franz Ferdinand
4. Among President Wilson’s Fourteen
Points was a proposal to
a.
b.
c.
d.
Disarm all major powers
Form a League of Nations
Create an alliance with Germany
Make Great Britain repay their
war debts
5. In March 1918, Russian Lenin
signed a treaty with Germany
surrendering the Ukraine, Finland,
Poland and other territories to
Germany. In doing so, Russia ended
its participation in World War I.
What effect did Russia’s move have
on the war?
a. It had no effect on the war
b. It created obstacles for Germany
c. It reinforced Russia’s alliance
with the Allies
d. It allowed Germany to transfer
troops to France.
US Multiple Choice Questions: World War I
6. Though Wilson was able to convince
European leaders of the value of the
League of Nations, to his great
disappointment, the plan caused
great dissension in Congress.
Massachusetts senator Henry Cabot
Lodge stated, “I have loved but one
flag and I cannot share that devotion
and give affection to the mongrel
banner invented for a league.”
In the end, the United States…
a. Ratified the Treaty of Versailles
b. Failed to join the League of
Nations
c. Agreed to join but only after
Germany did not
d. Lobbied so hard that Europe
dismissed the plan
9. One major result of World War I was
a.
b.
c.
d.
A victorious Germany
A revolution in Russia
A defeated France
A revolution in Great Britain
10. The international organization
created to preserve the peace after
World War I was the
a. North Atlantic Treaty
Organization
b. United Nations
c. Organization of American States
d. League of Nations
11. The main purpose of President
Wilson’s Fourteen Points at the end
of World War I was to
7. One result of World War I was
a. The creation of new countries
b. An expansion of German
colonies
c. A move toward democracy in
Russia
d. An alliance between Germany
and France
8. One of the causes of World War I
was the nations of Europe had
aligned into two alliance systems.
Which of the following combination
of nations comprised the Triple
Alliance?
a. France, Great Britain, and Russia
b. Germany, Great Britain, and
Russia
c. Austria-Hungary, Germany, and
Italy
d. Austria-Hungary, France, and
Italy
a. Assist the leaders of Europe to
gain additional territory at
Germany’s expense
b. Assure peace in the future by not
treating Germany as a
vanquished nation
c. Divide Germany into several
parts so it would not be a threat
in the future
d. Gain reparations from Germany
to help pay for the cost of the war
12. Which term is defined largely by
feelings of intense patriotism?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Neutrality
Militarism
Nationalism
Imperialism
US Multiple Choice Questions: World War I
13. Congress voted to declare war on
Germany for several reasons. Which
of these did NOT contribute to
Congress’s decision to declare war
on Germany?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The Zimmerman note
Shared German ancestry
The sinking of the Lusitania
Germany’s submarine warfare
14. Woodrow Wilson came to the peace
conference with one set of goals.
Victorious European nations came
with different goals. What was the
primary goal of the British and
French at the Versailles peace
conference?
a. Withdrawal of their nations from
dangerous involvement in
foreign affairs
b. Permitting people in colonized
areas to have the right to selfdetermination
c. Protecting the rights of national
groups to associate with other
national groups
d. Punishing Germany for starting
the war and dividing its territory
15. Some historians call World War I the
first industrial war. Several new
technologies were developed for
warfare. One of the most destructive
new weapons used in WWI was
a.
b.
c.
d.
The atomic bomb
The cannon
The fighter jet
Poison gas
16. The assassination of Archduke Franz
Ferdinand in 1914 set events in
motion that led to World War I.
However, no major war is ever
caused by a single event. Another
factor that contributed to the
outbreak of World War I was
a.
b.
c.
d.
Laissez faire economics
The League of Nations
Intense nationalism
The Bolshevik Revolution
17. One of Woodrow Wilson’s most
important goals after World War I
was to establish a League of Nations.
What was the main job of the League
supposed to be?
a. Make it unnecessary for the
United States to involve itself in
international disputes
b. Provide a way for countries to
resolve disputes between them
without going to war
c. Maintain the world economic
system so that colonies would no
longer be necessary
d. Hold the nations of Europe
responsible for the death and
destruction of World War I
US Multiple Choice Questions: World War I
18. The Zimmerman note was a secret
telegram sent by Germany to the
leaders of Mexico. Why did the
Zimmerman note cause outrage
among Americans?
a. It revealed Mexico was getting
ready to enter the war on the
German side
b. It promised Mexico that
Germany would help it reclaim
territory in the U.S. if the United
States entered the war against
Germany
c. Zimmerman was passing
American secrets to Germany
with the help of Mexican leaders
d. The telegram contained secret
messages sent by American
leaders its commanders on
European battlefields.
19. The Fourteen Points and the Atlantic
Charter were both
a. Statements of post-war goals for
establishing world peace
b. Plans of victorious nations to
divide conquered territories
c. Military strategies for defeating
enemy nations
d. Agreements between nations to
eliminate further development of
weapons
20. Which of the following was a reason
for America NOT to fight in WWI?
a. The Lusitania
b. The Zimmerman Note
c. Economic ties to Allies
d. Wilson’s 1916 Presidential
Election
21. “The most stringent protection of
free speech would not protect a man
in falsely shouting fire in a theater
and causing a panic.”
- Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes
Which interpretation of the Bill of
Rights does this statement illustrate?
a. The needs of the government are
more important than civil liberties
b. Constitutional protections of liberty
are not absolute
c. The Supreme Court can eliminate
freedoms listed in the Bill of Rights
d. The Bill of Rights does not safeguard
individual liberties
22. From 1914-1916, as World War I
raged in Europe, Americans were not
able to remain neutral in thought as
well as action mainly because
a. United States membership in
military alliances required the
nation to fight
b. United States newspapers
encouraged a policy of
imperialist expansion
c. The warring powers interfered
with the United States right to
freedom of the seas
d. President Woodrow Wilson
supported the war aims of
Germany and Austria-Hungary
US Multiple Choice Questions: World War I
23. After World War I, the opposition of
some members of Congress to the
Versailles Treaty was based largely
on the idea that the Treaty
a. Did not punish the Central
Powers harshly enough
b. Did not give the United States an
important role in world affairs
c. Would require the U.S. to join
the League of Nations and might
result in the loss of power for the
United States
d. Would require the United States
to assume the cost of rebuilding
the war-torn European
economies
24. The “clear and present danger”
ruling of the Supreme Court in
Schenck v. United States illustrates
the continuing conflict between
a. Free speech and governmental
authority
b. The use of search warrants and
the rights of the accused
c. State powers and Federal powers
d. Religious freedom and separation
of church and state
25. President Wilson’s Fourteen Points
were intended to
a. Make the U.S., Great Britain, and
France into leading world powers
b. Redistribute Germany’s colonies
among the Allied nations
c. Prevent international tensions
from leading to another war
d. Punish Germany for causing
World War I
26. A major reason for the isolationist
trend in the United States following
World War I was
a. A desire to continue the reforms
of the Progressives
b. The public’s desire to end most
trade with other nations
c. The failure of the United States
to gain new territory
d. A disillusionment over the
outcomes of war
27. “We are to be an instrument in the
hands of God to see that liberty is
made secure for mankind.”
-President Woodrow Wilson
President Wilson tried to carry out
the idea expressed in this quotation
by
a. Protesting the sinking of the
Lusitania
b. Proposing a program of civil
rights for minorities in American
society
c. Urging the Allies to adopt the
Fourteen Points
d. Taking control of territories
conquered in World War I
28. Which action best demonstrated the
United States effort to isolate itself
from European conflicts after World
War I?
a. Lowering tariff rates
b. Attempting to improve relations
with Asia
c. Failing to sign international
disarmament agreements
d. Refusing to join the League of
Nations
US Multiple Choice Questions: World War I
29. President Woodrow Wilson’s
statement “The world must be made
safe for democracy” was made to
justify his decision to
a. End U.S. imperialism in Latin
America
b. Support tariff reform
c. Send troops to Mexico to capture
Pancho Villa
d. Ask Congress to declare war
against Germany
30. President Wilson’s Fourteen Points
were based on the belief that
a. Military strength is a nation’s
best path to world peace
b. Isolationism should guide
international relations
c. The principle of selfdetermination should be applied
to people of all nations
d. Industrial nations should have
equal access to colonial
possessions
31. What was a major reason for United
States entry into World War I?
a. To overthrow the czarist
government of Russia
b. To keep Latin America from
being attacked by Germans
c. To maintain freedom of the seas
d. To break up the colonial empires
of the Allies
32. Which situation was the immediate
cause of the United States entry into
World War I in 1917?
a. The League of Nations requested
help
b. The Maine was blown up in
Havana Harbor
c. Nazi tyranny threatened Western
democracy
d. German u-boats sank US
merchant ships
33. Why did the Senate reject the
Versailles Treaty (1919)?
a. To keep the United States free
from foreign entanglements
b. To express opposition to the
harsh sanctions imposed on
Germany
c. To avoid the dues for
membership in the League of
Nations
d. To reduce United States military
forces in Europe
34. Which argument did President
Woodrow Wilson use to persuade
Congress to enter World War I?
a. Making the world safe for
democracy
b. Retaliating against the Japanese
bombing of Pearl Harbor
c. Assisting the neutral nations with
their defense
d. Removing the Nazi threat from
the Western Hemisphere
US Multiple Choice Questions: World War I
37. During World War I, many
American women helped gain
support for the suffrage movement
by
a. Protesting against the war
b. Joining the military service
c. Lobbying for childcare facilities
d. Working in wartime industries
35. Data from the graph above support
the conclusion that World War I
a. Caused the United States trade
deficit to increase
b. Cost the United States many
billions of dollars
c. Was a significant benefit to the
American economy
d. Created an unfavorable balance
of trade
36. Many senators who opposed United
States membership in the League of
Nations argued that joining the
League of Nations would
a. Involve the nation in future
military conflicts
b. Reduce freedom of the seas
c. End the country’s free-trade
policy
d. Endanger the nation’s military
preparedness
38. Following World War I, the United
States Senate refused to ratify the
Treaty of Versailles primarily
because the treaty
a. Failed to include most of
President Wilson’s Fourteen
Points
b. Did not punish Germany for
starting the war
c. Contained provisions that might
lead the United States into
foreign conflicts
d. Made no provision for reduction
of military weapons.
39. One goal for a lasting peace that
President Woodrow Wilson included
in his Fourteen Points was
a. Establishing a League of Nations
b. Maintaining a permanent military
force in Europe
c. Returning the United States to a
policy of isolationism
d. Blaming Germany for causing
World War I
US Multiple Choice Questions: World War I
40. During his reelection campaign in
1916, President Woodrow Wilson
used the slogan, “He kept us out of
war.” In April 1917, Wilson asked
Congress to declare war on
Germany. What helped bring about
this change?
a. Bolshevik forces increased their
strength in Germany and Italy
b. Britain was invaded by nations of
the Central Powers
c. Russia signed a treaty of alliance
with the Central Powers
d. Germany resumed unrestricted
submarine warfare
41. A major reason the United States
entered World War I was to
a. Gain additional colonial
possessions
b. React to the bombing of Pearl
Harbor
c. Honor prewar commitments to its
military allies
d. Safeguard freedom of the seas
for the United States ships
42. At the beginning of World War I,
President Woodrow Wilson followed
a traditional United States foreign
policy by
a. Refusing to permit trade with
either side in the conflict
b. Sending troops to aid Great
Britain
c. Declaring American neutrality
d. Requesting an immediate
declaration of war against the
aggressors
43. “…There’s no chance of progress
and reform in an administration in
which war plays the principal
part…”- President-elect Woodrow
Wilson, 1913
In this statement, President-elect Wilson was
expressing the belief that
a. The U.S. should enter World
War I immediately
b. Reform movements are
strengthened by war
c. The nation will require a change
in leadership if it goes to war
d. The Progressive movement
would be best served by
continued peace
44. One major reason the United States
Senate refused to approve the Treaty
of Versailles after World War I was
that many senators
a. Were concerned about future
United States obligations in
foreign affairs
b. Rejected United States colonial
practices in Asia
c. Wanted immediate repayment of
war debts from France
d. Supported increased foreign aid
to Germany
45. The “clear and present danger”
ruling in the Supreme Court case
Schenck v. United States (1919)
confirmed the idea that
a. Prayer in public schools is
unconstitutional
b. Racism in the United States is
illegal
c. Interstate commerce can be
regulated by state governments
d. Constitutional rights are not
absolute
US Multiple Choice Questions: World War I
46. When World War I began, President
Wilson wanted the United States to
remain neutral because of the
nation’s
a. Ethnic diversity
b. Economic problems
c. Military weakness
d. Secret alliances
47. Which event was most influential in
turning American public opinion
against Germany?
a. The assassination of Franz
Ferdinand
b. The Sussex Pledge
c. The invasion of Belgium
d. The National Defense Act
48. American internationalists thought
that the United States should
a. Have no involvement in war
b. Help the Allies with money and
supplies but not with troops
c. Declare war on Germany
d. Use its influence to try to end the
war
49. What was an immediate cause of the
U.S. entry into World War I?
a. The Sussex Pledge
b. The Zimmerman Note
c. The sinking of the Lusitania
d. The blockade of Germany
50. Soldiers killed, wounded and
missing are also known as
a. Contraband
b. Casualties
c. Militarism
d. Convoys
51. Which of these best describes the
impact of World War I on the
American economy?
a. Prices decreased
b. Production decreased
c. Regulation increased
d. Unemployment increased
52. What was the effect of the Sedition
Act?
a. It limited freedom of speech
b. It created distrust of German
Americans
c. It increased the size of the Army
d. It gave women the right to vote
53. How did World War I change the
lives of American women?
a. It broadened job opportunities for
women
b. It delayed the extension of voting
rights to women
c. It made military service
mandatory for young women
d. It increased educational
opportunities for women
54. How did World War I contribute to
the Great Migration?
a. By forcing African Americans
men to become soldiers
b. By ending segregation in the
military
c. By improving the South’s
economy
d. By creating jobs in the North
55. This was a movement of African
Americans to cities in the North
during and after World War I.
a. Great Migration
b. Underground Railroad
c. Freedom Riders
d. Conscientious Objectors
US Multiple Choice Questions: World War I
56. Where did American troops do the
most fighting?
a. At sea
b. In Germany
c. On the Western Front
d. On the Eastern Front
61. Which nation was the world’s
economic leader after World War I?
a. Britain
b. Germany
c. The Soviet Union
d. The United States
57. The Paris Peace Conference denied
self-determination to the people of
a. Iraq
b. India
c. Germany
d. Russia
62. In 1920, American voters elected a
President who promised
a. To continue the policies of
Woodrow Wilson
b. To increase the U.S. role in
world affairs
c. Sweeping economic and social
change
d. A return to simpler times
58. What was the result of the U.S.
Senate’s refusal to approve the
Treaty of Versailles?
a. The League of Nations was never
formed
b. The League of Nations was
ineffective
c. Britain and France were no
longer allies of the United States
d. Germany was never held
accountable for war damages
59. Who were the irreconcilables?
a. Senators who opposed joining
the League of Nations as it was
described in Versailles Treaty
b. Payment for war damages
c. Senators who opposed joining
the League of Nations in any
form
d. Senators who wanted to join the
League of Nations
60. What was the cause of the labor
strikes in 1919?
a. Food shortages
b. Rising prices
c. Race riots
d. Women workers
63. The postwar period was difficult for
farmers because of
a. Falling food prices
b. Widespread drought
c. A shortage of farm equipment
d. A decrease in demand for farm
products
64. The purpose of the Committee on
Public Information was to
a. Use propaganda to increase
public support for the war effort
b. Recruit movie stars to entertain
troops
c. Hold rallies and parades for
troops bound for Europe
d. Encourage Americans to rename
all things German, such as
hamburgers and dachshunds.
US Multiple Choice Questions: World War I
65. Wilson envisioned the League of
Nations as an international congress
of nations designed to
a. Reward the allies and punish
enemies
b. Punish Germany for its role in
World War I
c. Avoid future wars with Germany
d. Settle disputes and protect
democracy
66. For President Wilson, the most
important part of the peace
settlement was
a. The creation of the League of
Nations
b. Persuading the U.S. Senate to
ratify separate treaties with
Germany and Austria-Hungary.
c. Ensuring that Italy received the
territory it had been promised
when it agreed to support the
Allies
d. Punishing Germany so severely
that it could never again threaten
Europe.
67. By the fall of 1918, Germany was
facing
a. Food riots, strikes and mutiny in
the navy
b. Inflation
c. Poison gas
d. Shortages of wood
68. Due to congressional opposition and
President Wilson’s refusal to
negotiate, the United States
a. Did not send representatives to
the peace conference at
Versailles
b. Was not represented on the
council of the League of Nations
c. Did not ratify the Treaty of
Versailles, and never joined the
League of Nations
d. Refused to allow the former
Central Powers to join the
League of Nations
69. True or False: The Americans
remained completely neutral at the
beginning of World War I.
a. True
b. False
70. Which country switched sides during
WWI?
a. Russia
b. Serbia
c. Italy
d. The United States
71. Which of the following countries
was NOT part of the Big Four?
a. USA
b. Russia
c. Italy
d. France
72. Which member of the Big Four
wanted to ensure an “enduring
peace”?
a. President Woodrow Wilson
b. Prime Minister David Lloyd
Georges
c. Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando
d. Premier Georges Clemenceau
US Multiple Choice Questions: World War I
73. The League of Nations can best be
described as a
a. Peace treaty
b. Secret alliance
c. Mutual defense agreement
d. Declaration of war
74. How did World War I change the
lives of American women?
a. It broadened job opportunities for
them
b. It delayed the extension of voting
rights to women
c. It made military service
mandatory for young women
d. It increased educational
opportunities for women
75. When World War I began, President
Wilson wanted the United States to
remain neutral because of the
nation’s
a. Ethnic diversity
b. Economic problems
c. Military weaknesses
d. Secret alliances