Essential Questions: What were the causes of the First World War?
Why did the U.S. become involved?
I. Europe�s Descent into War
A. Background (June 1914)
1. Serbian nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand
a. Meant to protest Austro-Hungarian presence in Balkans
2. Led to Austro-Hungarian declaration of war on Serbia
B. Involvement of other nations
1. Triple Alliance or Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary,
Italy, Ottoman Empire
2. Triple Entente or Allies: Britain, France, Russia, U.S.
3. Russia (allied with Serbia) declared war against Austria-Hungary
a. Germany came to Austria-Hungary�s aid by attacking France
4. Britain then declared war on Germany
C. Course of war not as expected
1. Two camps evenly matched, so victory not swift
2. Troops dug trenches and settled in for long war of attrition
II. American Neutrality
A. Woodrow Wilson�s administration proclaimed neutrality
1. Tried to maintain normal relations with both sides
2. U.S. began selling food, clothing, and munitions to Britain and
France
a. Sales brought U.S. economy out of slump
b. British blockade prevented U.S. from selling to Germany
B. Submarine warfare
1. To combat British control of the seas, Germany unleashed U-boats
a. On May 7, 1915 British passenger liner Lusitania sunk,
killing 1,198 people (128 Americans)
-Wilson outraged and demanded German apology
C. German Provocation
1. Zimmermann Note
a. Germany would support Mexico in recovering the lands lost
in the Mexican War
III. American Intervention
A. U.S. declares war on April 2, 1917
1. Wilson, �The world must be made safe for democracy�
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Chapter 19: The War at Home
Essential Questions: How did the U.S. organize its people and economy for war?
I. Mobilizing for war
A. Organizing industry
1. War Industries Board
a. Encouraged companies to use mass production to
increase efficiency
-Industry had to retool for war
2. Food Administration substantially increased production and
distribution of food to millions of troops and civilians
3. U.S. Railroad Administration shifted railroad system from
private to public control
B. Paying for the war
1. Sharply increased taxes, especially on wealthy
2. Also, sold �Liberty Bonds�
C. Arousing public sentiment
1. Committee on Public Information (1917)
a. Giving people the facts of the war would make clear
the wisdom of Wilson�s policies
b. CPI message imparted to many a deep love of country
c. The CPI also developed a darker, coercive side
-Called on patriots to report on neighbors,
coworkers, and ethnics whom they suspected of
subverting war effort
-Espionage, Sabotage, and Sedition Acts
(1917 and 1918) gave government broad
powers to silence and imprison dissenters
D. Organizing civilian labor
1. War increased demand for industrial labor
a. New workers recruited from rural south
b. Many women also entered industrial workforce
E. Organizing military labor
1. Selective Service Act organized a draft
2. U.S. Army faced difficult task of transforming ethnically and
racially diverse millions into a professional fighting force
a. Army segregated black soldiers from white
b. Despite the ethnic problems, American Expeditionary Force was impressive
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Chapter 19 Wilson Fights for Peace
Essential Questions: What were Woodrow Wilson�s peace proposals and how did they fare?
I. Wilson Presents His Peace Plan
A. Wilson�s Fourteen Points
1. All nations need to abide by code of conduct
a. (free trade, freedom of the seas, diplomacy,
disarmament)
b. All nations need to recognize the principle of self-
determination
-give people of Austrian-Hungary empire
independence
c. Most of Wilson�s principles omitted or watered down
-Won partial endorsement of idea of self-
determination
2. The Allies Reject Wilson�s plan
a. Europe was determined to punish Germany for its
wartime aggression
-Wanted Germany to pay war reparations
B. The League of Nations
1. Wilson won agreement on creation of League of Nations
a. Serve as international parliament and judiciary,
establishing rules of international behavior and
resolving disputes between nations through rational
and peaceful means.
II. Debating the Treaty of Versailles
A. League�s success depended on Wilson�s ability to convince
U.S. Senate to ratify Treaty of Versailles, which included U.S, membership
1. Republican majority determined to frustrate Wilson�s ambitions
a. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge
-Opposed to surrendering to League the decision
on when U.S. would go to war
2. Wilson Suffered devastating stroke
B. Treaty, and U.S. membership in League, defeated on (Nov. 1919)