SSUSH 15
Analyze the origins and impact of
U.S. involvement in WWI
Vocabulary
• Central power=Germany, Austria-Hungary,
and the Ottoman empire
• Allied Powers=Great Britain, France, Italy,
Russia, Japan, and finally U.S.
• Isolationism=not forming alliances with
European Countries
• Neutrality=not taking sides in a foreign war
Vocabulary
• U-boat=submarine
• Alliance=political, economic, or military
agreement between countries
• Socialism= the belief that the public or
government should control all aspects of
the economy.
Causes of WWI
• Militarism=a countries policy to maintain a
strong military
• Imperialism=when one nation has political
and economic control of another nation
• Nationalism=intense loyalty to one’s
country or ethnic group.
Causes of WWI
• Franz Ferdinand (Heir to the Austrian-Hungarian
throne) assassinated by Serbian nationalist.
• Austria-Hungary declares war on serbia
• Russia (aligned with Serbia) declares war on
Austria-Hungary
• France was drawn into the war because they
were aligned with Russia.
• Germany was aligned with Austria-Hungary so
they declared war on France and Russia.
U.S. enters the war.
• Woodrow Wilson was President of U.S.
during WWI.
• He wanted to maintain neutrality during
this war.
• Germanys use of unrestricted submarine
warfare and the Zimmerman telegram
would pull the U.S. into this conflict.
U.S. enters the war.
• unrestricted submarine
warfare
• German U-boats were
sinking ships headed for
Britain
• The Lusitania was a
passenger cruise ship
with Americans on it.
When it was sunk many
Americans began to cry
out for war.
• Zimmerman telegram
• A letter sent from
Germany to Mexico
basking them to attack
the U.S. if they entered
the war against the
Germans.
• Mexico would gain back
land lost in the Mexican
War.
Selective Service Act
• Required all males 18 years of age to
register for the draft.
Espionage Act
• Made it a crime to interfere with the
induction of soldiers or knowingly refuse
the draft.
• Sedition Act= made it a crime to speak out
against or engage in an activity that was
contradictory to the war effort.
Eugene Debs
• Socialist during WWI.
• He assisted with organizing the Pullman
Strikes.
• He was imprisoned for his actions.
The Great Migration
• Time during WWI when African Americans
moved from the South to the factories in
the North for better jobs.
• Many factory jobs were left vacant
because of the men fighting in the war.
Victory Gardens
• Planted by families during WWI so that
farm products could be used in the war.
Liberty Bonds
• Sold to help pay for the war effort.
• People could cash them in later for a
profit.
Fourteen points
• Gave all nations self rule.
• Free trade between nations
• All nations would have free access to the
sea.
• League of Nations= a peacekeeping
organization, that would make sure there
were no more world wars.
Amendments during this time
• 18th
• Prohibited the
consumption of
alcohol
• 19th
• Gave women the right
to vote
Treaty of Versailles
• Ended WWI
• Punished Germany
• Germany had to accept blame for the war
and pay back 33 billion in war reparations
• Germany also had to disarm much of it’s
military.