America: Pathways to the Present
Chapter 19
The World War I Era
(1914–1920)
Copyright © 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as
Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. All rights reserved.
Causes of World War I
Chapter 19, Section 1
Main Causes of World War I
Imperialism
Competition for colonial lands in Africa and elsewhere
led to conflict among the major European powers.
Militarism
By the early 1900s, powerful nations in Europe had
adopted policies of militarism, or aggressively building
up armed forces and giving the military more authority
over government and foreign policy.
Nationalism
One type of nationalism inspired the great powers of
Europe to act in their own interests. Another emerged
as ethnic minorities within larger nations sought selfgovernment.
Alliances
In a complicated system of alliances, different groups
of European nations had pledged to come to one
another’s aid in the event of attack.
The War in Europe, 1914–1918
Chapter 19, Section 1
When Austria-Hungary
declared war on Serbia,
the complex alliance
system in Europe drew
much of the continent
into the conflict.
The United States Declares War
Chapter 19, Section 2
•  How did Germany’s use of submarines affect the war?
•  What moves did the United States take toward war in
early 1917?
German Submarine Warfare
Chapter 19, Section 2
•  To break a stalemate at sea, Germany began to
employ U-boats, short for Unterseeboot, the German
word for submarine. U-boats, traveling under water,
could sink British supply ships with no warning.
•  When the British cut the transatlantic cable, which
connected Germany and the United States, only news
with a pro-Allied bias was able to reach America.
American public opinion was therefore swayed
against Germany’s U-boat tactics.
The Lusitania and the Sussex Pledge
Chapter 19, Section 2
The Sinking of the Lusitania
•  On May 7,1915, a German
U-boat sank the British
passenger liner Lusitania,
which had been carrying
both passengers and
weapons for the Allies.
•  Since 128 American
passengers had been on
board, the sinking of the
Lusitania brought the
United States closer to
involvement in the war.
The Sussex Pledge
•  More Americans were
killed when Germany sank
the Sussex, a French
passenger steamship, on
March 24,1916.
•  In what came to be known
as the Sussex pledge, the
German government
promised that U-boats
would warn ships before
attacking, a promise it had
made and broken before.
Moving Toward War
Chapter 19, Section 2
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
•  On January 31, 1917, Germany
announced its intent to end the
Sussex pledge and return to
unrestricted submarine warfare.
•  This action caused the United
States to break off diplomatic
relations with Germany.
•  Despite this announcement, the
German navy did not attack any
American ships in February,
causing the United States to
continue to hope for peace.
The Zimmermann Note
•  During this time, Britain revealed
an intercepted telegram to the
government of Mexico from
Germany’s foreign minister,
Arthur Zimmermann.
•  In this telegram, known as the
Zimmermann note, Germany
offered to return American lands
to Mexico if Mexico declared war
on the United States.
•  Neither Mexico nor President
Wilson took the Zimmermann
note seriously, but it brought
America closer to entering the
war.
The War Resolution
Chapter 19, Section 2
•  When the Russian Revolution replaced Russia’s
autocratic czar with a republican government in March
1917, the United States no longer needed to be
concerned about allying itself with an autocratic
nation. This removed one more stumbling block to an
American declaration of war.
•  As Germany continued to sink American ships in
March, President Wilson’s patience for neutrality wore
out. On April 6, 1917, the President signed
Congress’s war resolution, officially bringing the
United States into the war.
The United States Declares War—
Assessment
Chapter 19, Section 2
What was the significance of the Lusitania?
(A) Its sinking brought America closer to entering the war.
(B) The weapons it carried helped Britain gain an advantage.
(C) Its crew delivered the Zimmermann note.
(D) It inspired the Sussex pledge.
Why did the Russian Revolution help bring America into the war?
(A) It helped the German navy sink British ships.
(B) It caused the deaths of many Americans.
(C) It set up a republican government in Russia, an Allied nation.
(D) It promised American lands to Mexico in exchange for an invasion.
Want to link to the Pathways Internet activity for this chapter? Click here!
The United States Declares War—
Assessment
Chapter 19, Section 2
What was the significance of the Lusitania?
(A) Its sinking brought America closer to entering the war.
(B) The weapons it carried helped Britain gain an advantage.
(C) Its crew delivered the Zimmermann note.
(D) It inspired the Sussex pledge.
Why did the Russian Revolution help bring America into the war?
(A) It helped the German navy sink British ships.
(B) It caused the deaths of many Americans.
(C) It set up a republican government in Russia, an Allied nation.
(D) It promised American lands to Mexico in exchange for an invasion.
Want to link to the Pathways Internet activity for this chapter? Click here!
Americans on the Home Front
Chapter 19, Section 4
•  What steps did the government take to finance the war
and manage the economy?
•  How did the government enforce loyalty to the war
effort?
•  How did the war change the lives of Americans on the
home front?
Financing the War
Chapter 19, Section 4
•  Modern warfare required huge amounts of money and
personnel.
•  Many sacrifices within the United States were needed
to meet these demands.
•  The government raised money for the war in part by
selling Liberty Bonds, special war bonds to support
the Allied cause.
•  Like all bonds, these could be redeemed later for their
original value plus interest.
•  Many patriotic Americans bought liberty bonds,
raising more than $20 billion for the war effort.
Managing the Economy
Chapter 19, Section 4
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• 
• 
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United States entry into the war caused many industries to switch from
commercial to military production. A newly created War Industries Board
oversaw this production. New labor-related agencies helped ensure that
labor disputes did not disrupt the war effort.
Using the slogan, “Food will win the war,” Herbert Hoover, head of the
Food Administration and future President, began to manage how much
food people bought.
Although he had the power to impose price controls, a system of pricing
determined by the government, and rationing, or distributing goods to
customers in a fixed amount, Hoover preferred to rely on voluntary
restraint and increased efficiency.
Daylight savings time was created to save on fuel use and increase the
number of daylight hours available for work. This involved turning clocks
back one hour for the summer, creating one more hour of daylight.
Enforcing Loyalty
Chapter 19, Section 4
Enforcing American Loyalty During World War I
Fear of
Foreigners
Fear of espionage, or spying, was widespread; restrictions on
immigration were called for and achieved.
“Hate the Hun”
The war spurred a general hostility toward Germans, often
referred to as Huns in reference to European invaders of the
fourth and fifth centuries. German music, literature, language,
and cuisine became banned or unpopular.
Repression of
Civil Liberties
Despite Wilson’s claim that the United States fought for liberty
and democracy, freedom of speech was reduced during the
war. Sedition, or any speech or action that encourages
rebellion, became a crime.
Political
Radicals
Socialists, who argued that workers had no stake in the war,
won popular support in some states.
The radical labor organization Industrial Workers of the World
(IWW) tried to interfere with war production; vigilantes took the
law into their own hands.
Changing People’s Lives
Chapter 19, Section 4
African Americans and Other
Minorities
•  With much of the work
force in the military,
factory owners and
managers who had once
discriminated against
minorities began actively
recruiting them.
•  The flood of African
Americans leaving the
South to work in northern
factories became known
as the Great Migration.
New Roles for Women
•  The diminished male work
force also created new
opportunities for women.
•  Many women joined the
work force for the first time
during the war. Some
found work on farms with
the Woman’s Land Army;
others took jobs
traditionally reserved for
men.
Americans on the Home Front — Assessment
Chapter 19, Section 4
Which of the following best describes Hoover’s strategy for food
conservation?
(A) Creation of new government agencies
(B) Price controls and rationing
(C) Sale of Liberty Bonds
(D) Voluntary restraint and increased efficiency
Why did the war provide new opportunities for women and minorities?
(A) Many white men were away fighting the war.
(B) Women proved to be better farm workers than men.
(C) African Americans were less likely to be guilty of sedition.
(D) Radical labor organizers gained popularity.
Want to link to the Pathways Internet activity for this chapter? Click here!
Americans on the Home Front — Assessment
Chapter 19, Section 4
Which of the following best describes Hoover’s strategy for food
conservation?
(A) Creation of new government agencies
(B) Price controls and rationing
(C) Sale of Liberty Bonds
(D) Voluntary restraint and increased efficiency
Why did the war provide new opportunities for women and minorities?
(A) Many white men were away fighting the war.
(B) Women proved to be better farm workers than men.
(C) African Americans were less likely to be guilty of sedition.
(D) Radical labor organizers gained popularity.
Want to link to the Pathways Internet activity for this chapter? Click here!
The Paris Peace Conference
Chapter 19, Section 5
The League of Nations
•  One of Wilson’s ideas, the formation of a League
of Nations, was agreed upon at the Paris Peace
Conference. The League of Nations was designed
to bring the nations of the world together to
ensure peace and security.
•  Republicans in Congress, however, were
concerned about Article 10 of the League’s
charter, which contained a provision that they
claimed might draw the United States into
unpopular foreign wars.
Redrawing the Map of Europe
Chapter 19, Section 5
•  At the Paris Peace
Conference, Britain,
France, and the
United States redrew
the map of Europe.