Name _______________________
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Period ______________________
Essential Vocabulary World War 1
militarism
The building up the military forces
to prepare for war - one cause of
WWI
nationalism
Pride in one’s nation; many small
groups in Europe felt this; it was
one cause of WWI
imperialism
When a country takes over new
lands or countries and makes them
subject to their rule.
autocrat
A ruler having unlimited power.
Central Powers
Countries that were defeated by the
Allies; included Germany, AustriaHungary, Bulgaria, the Ottoman
Turks, and Italy. Italy switched sides
to the allies during the war.
Allies
Nations allied against the Central
Powers; included England, France,
the United States, and Russia. Italy
joined this side during the war.
alliances
A group of nations formed to
advance common interests or
causes
neutral
A country that does not support or
favor either side in a war.
u-boat
A submarine of the German navy
Examples in words or pictures
propaganda
information, ideas, or rumors
deliberately spread to help or harm
a person, group, movement,
institution, or nation
Lusitania
a British ship sunk by a German
submarine in the North Atlantic on
May 7, 1915; this was one of the
events leading to U.S. entry into
World War I.
A secret telegram sent by Germany to
Mexico asking Mexico to declare war
on the US. In return, Germany
promised land in the Southwestern US
to Mexico. This was a cause of WWI.
Zimmerman Note
armistice
An agreement to stop fighting;
WWI November 11, 1918
trench warfare
The type of fighting in WWI in which
both sides dug trenches which were
protected by mines and barbed wire.
“No Man’s Land” was in the middle.
League of Nations
International organization formed after
WWI as part of the Treaty of
Versailles to promote world peace.
The US Senate refused to allow the US
to join.
The 14 Points
Woodrow Wilson’s plan for peace
after WWI, which included the
creation of the League of Nations
Sedition Act
This act of 1918 made it a crime to
interfere in the war effort, to insult the
US government, the Constitution, or
the armed forces, or to oppose the
United States
dog fight
doughboy
convoy
A battle between fighter planes
An American soldier in World War
I
a group of ships that traveled
together for protection
front
Harlem Hell
Fighters
AEF
Liberty Bonds
Great Migration
mobilize
The line where armies met on the
battlefield
A group of African-American soldiers
that fought with France and Canada
during WWI when they were not
allowed to fight in combat in the US
army.
American Expeditionary Forces;
the American troops serving in
Europe during World War I
An IOU sold by the US
government to support the war
effort in WWI.
A movement of 1.4 million AfricanAmericans out of the Southern United
States to the North, Midwest, and
West from 1910 to 1930. Most went
to the cities and worked in factories.
To assemble and organize troops
for a war
reparation
Payment by a losing country in a
war to the winners for the damages
caused by the war
conscientious
objector
One who on the basis of religious
or moral beliefs refuses to fight in a
war
chemical warfare
Warfare involving the use of
chemicals and poisons like chlorine
gas.
Russian Revolution
Sussex Pledge
The overthrow of the Russian
czar’s government in 1917.
a promise made in 1916 during WWI
by Germany to the US that said
Germany would not attack passenger
ships and would not attack merchant
ships unless they had weapons
stalemate
A situation where neither side in a
war is able to gain an advantage
over the other
Selective Service
Act
A law passed during WWI to draft
soldiers to fight in the war
Yanks
An American soldier