11th grade The United States in World War I, at home and abroad worksheet

The United States in World War I, at home and abroad

Grade 11 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Cards A to D. Card A, a summary in our words, written today: Germany had made the Sussex pledge on May 4, 1916. On January 31, 1917, it sent a note announcing unrestricted submarine warfare, and the United States cut relations with Germany on February 3. The Zimmermann Telegram was passed to Wilson on February 24 and made public on March 1. Wilson asked Congress for war on April 2. Card B, Woodrow Wilson, address to Congress, January 8, 1918 (primary source; printed 1918, pp. 359 and 362), to say what kind of peace the United States wanted: "[Point I] Open covenants [agreements] of peace, openly arrived at, after which there shall be no private international understandings of any kind but diplomacy shall proceed always frankly and in the public view. … [Point XIV] A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike." Card C, a summary in our words, written today: On January 8, 1918, Wilson gave Congress a program of fourteen points for peace. Eight dealt with borders. Five of the others set general principles: open agreements between nations, freedom of the seas, free trade, reduced armaments, and colonial claims settled with the wishes of the peoples in mind. Point XIV proposed a general association of nations, which became the League of Nations. Wilson also hoped to keep Russia in the war and to lift Allied spirits. Card D, a summary in our words, written today: American factories and farms sold munitions and food to Britain and France from 1914 on. The Office of the Historian says the reasons for Wilson's decision are still debated.

2. 1.

   Ari wants to know what kind of peace Wilson sought in January 1918. Card B quotes two of the fourteen points; card C summarizes all fourteen. How should the cards be used?

   • Rely on card C alone, since a summary written today is more accurate than Wilson's own wording
   • Use card B for the eight points on borders, and card C for the exact words of Points I and XIV
   • Use card B for the exact words of two points and card C for the whole program; both show aims
   • Rely on card B alone, since Wilson's own words show what the United States won at the peace

3. Use this

   Cards F to I, all summaries in our words, written today unless marked. Card F: The Committee on Public Information, led by George Creel, was created on April 13, 1917, to build public support for the war. Card G: The Espionage Act (June 15, 1917) and the amending Act of May 16, 1918, which the National Archives and the National Park Service call the Sedition Act, made some speech against the war a crime. The vote for war had been overwhelming but not unanimous. Card H, a description in our words, not an image: A recruiting poster is not shown here. It is a color print by the artist James Montgomery Flagg, made for men who might join the army, and it shows a white-bearded Uncle Sam. Its title is "I Want You for U.S. Army". The Smithsonian dates the print to 1917, and the National Park Service calls it a famous recruiting poster. Card I: Eugene Debs received a ten-year sentence under the Espionage Act, and the Supreme Court later upheld it, relying on Schenck v. United States.

4. 2.

   Cards F and H describe a committee created April 13, 1917, and a recruiting poster. What do the two cards show about public support for the war, Bo asks?

   • The government worked to win support; neither card shows how many people it persuaded
   • The government feared opposition, since a committee to build support is created where support is lacking
   • The laws against antiwar speech came first, and the committee for persuasion followed them
   • The effort worked, since the poster is called a famous recruiting poster today

5. Use this

   Cards A to D. Card A, a summary in our words, written today: Germany had made the Sussex pledge on May 4, 1916. On January 31, 1917, it sent a note announcing unrestricted submarine warfare, and the United States cut relations with Germany on February 3. The Zimmermann Telegram was passed to Wilson on February 24 and made public on March 1. Wilson asked Congress for war on April 2. Card B, Woodrow Wilson, address to Congress, January 8, 1918 (primary source; printed 1918, pp. 359 and 362), to say what kind of peace the United States wanted: "[Point I] Open covenants [agreements] of peace, openly arrived at, after which there shall be no private international understandings of any kind but diplomacy shall proceed always frankly and in the public view. … [Point XIV] A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike." Card C, a summary in our words, written today: On January 8, 1918, Wilson gave Congress a program of fourteen points for peace. Eight dealt with borders. Five of the others set general principles: open agreements between nations, freedom of the seas, free trade, reduced armaments, and colonial claims settled with the wishes of the peoples in mind. Point XIV proposed a general association of nations, which became the League of Nations. Wilson also hoped to keep Russia in the war and to lift Allied spirits. Card D, a summary in our words, written today: American factories and farms sold munitions and food to Britain and France from 1914 on. The Office of the Historian says the reasons for Wilson's decision are still debated.

6. 3.

   Cards A, B and D give Germany's submarine note, trade with the Allies and Wilson's aims for peace. Which conclusion about the entry into the war do the cards support, Jun asks?

   • Trade ranks first among the causes, since the sales began in 1914, before the other events
   • The note was the cause, since Wilson asked for war two months after it
   • Submarine warfare, trade and Wilson's aims all appear, but the cards do not rank them
   • Wilson's 1918 program shows his reason for war in 1917 was to build a league of nations
7. 4.

   Card D says American sales to the Allies began in 1914. Card A dates Germany's note to January 31, 1917. A student says 'trade caused the note.' What do the cards show, Kira asks?

   • The dates show trade caused the note, since the sales began years before it
   • Sales came first, which allows a link, but dates alone do not show why Germany acted
   • Trade can be ruled out, since card A does not mention it as a reason for the note
   • The note was Germany's answer to the Sussex pledge, since it came months after the pledge

8. Use this

   Cards J to M. Card J, a table, Senate votes on the Treaty of Versailles (US Senate): November 19, 1919, 38 yes, 53 no; March 19, 1920, 49 yes, 35 no. A treaty needs the approval of two-thirds of the senators present; for this sheet, treat the senators who voted as the senators present. In 1920 the Senate had 96 members. Card K, a summary in our words, written today: The Treaty of Versailles, which includes the League of Nations, was signed on June 28, 1919. Senators objected to Article 10, saying it gave the League's Council power over American war decisions. Senator Lodge's group wanted 14 reservations added; a second group refused the treaty in any form. Card L, a summary in our words, written today: By the time Wilson returned from Paris in July 1919, the Office of the Historian says, public opinion strongly favored the treaty, and 32 state legislatures had passed resolutions for it. Card M, a summary in our words, written today: The United States never joined the League of Nations. A separate peace treaty with Germany was signed on August 25, 1921.

9. 5.

   Cards K and L describe objections to the treaty and public support for it. Which explanation of the Senate's rejection fits the cards, Luz asks?

   • Senators split between wanting reservations and refusing the treaty, so no version won two-thirds
   • Lodge's group refused the treaty in any form, while the other group wanted reservations
   • Opinion turned against the treaty by 1920, so senators followed the voters they served
   • Article 10 was the whole problem, since senators objected to it, so a treaty without it would pass
10. 6.

    A student says the treaty passed on March 19, 1920, since 49 of the 84 senators voting said yes, a majority. Apply the rule on card J, Milo asks.

    • It failed: two-thirds of the full 96-member Senate is 64, so the treaty was 15 votes short
    • It failed: three-fourths of the 84 voting is 63, so the treaty was 14 votes short
    • It failed: two-thirds of the 84 voting is 56, so the treaty was 7 yes votes short
    • It passed: 49 of the 84 voting is a majority, which is enough for a treaty
11. 7.

    Card J: 38 to 53 in 1919; 49 to 35 in 1920. A student says 'the treaty gained 11 yes votes, so it came 11 votes closer to two-thirds.' Is that right, Noah asks?

    • Yes: the mark of two-thirds stayed at 61 both times, so 11 more yes votes meant 11 votes closer
    • No: 49 of the 84 voting is a majority, so the March vote had already reached the mark
    • No: fewer senators voted in 1920, so the mark fell from 61 to 56 and the gap closed by 16
    • No: with different numbers of senators voting, the two votes cannot be compared by a common mark

12. Use this

    Cards N and O, summaries in our words, written today. Card N: The war cost about $33 billion. Treasury Secretary McAdoo planned to pay about a third of the cost with taxes and about two-thirds by borrowing. Card O: Four Liberty Loan drives sold war bonds between April 1917 and September 1918. The Federal Reserve History essay says they raised more than $17 billion, that twenty million people bought bonds, and that taxes brought in $8.8 billion. A National Archives blog says a fifth issue, the Victory Liberty Loan of 1919, brought the total of all five to over $21.5 billion. Film stars and posters helped sell the bonds.

13. 8.

    A student says 'taxes paid a third, as planned: $8.8 billion is a third of the roughly $26 billion raised by taxes and four drives.' Test it with card N, Pia asks.

    • It fails: card N puts taxes at two-thirds of the $33 billion cost, about $22 billion, which taxes missed
    • It holds: the plan's third should be tested against the money actually raised by taxes and drives
    • It holds after 1919, since bonds then reached $21.5 billion and taxes covered the rest
    • It fails: a third of the $33 billion cost is about $11 billion, and taxes brought $8.8 billion

14. Use this

    Cards F to I, all summaries in our words, written today unless marked. Card F: The Committee on Public Information, led by George Creel, was created on April 13, 1917, to build public support for the war. Card G: The Espionage Act (June 15, 1917) and the amending Act of May 16, 1918, which the National Archives and the National Park Service call the Sedition Act, made some speech against the war a crime. The vote for war had been overwhelming but not unanimous. Card H, a description in our words, not an image: A recruiting poster is not shown here. It is a color print by the artist James Montgomery Flagg, made for men who might join the army, and it shows a white-bearded Uncle Sam. Its title is "I Want You for U.S. Army". The Smithsonian dates the print to 1917, and the National Park Service calls it a famous recruiting poster. Card I: Eugene Debs received a ten-year sentence under the Espionage Act, and the Supreme Court later upheld it, relying on Schenck v. United States.

15. 9.

    A student says 'the government used persuasion first and passed speech laws only when persuasion failed.' Cards F and G date the committee and the Espionage Act. What do the dates show, Tala asks?

    • The laws came before the committee, so the government punished speech first and persuaded later
    • The Espionage Act followed the committee by about two months, and the cards do not say persuasion had failed
    • The claim holds, since card I shows Debs was sentenced after persuasion had failed
    • The claim holds, since the Sedition Act of May 1918 came a year after the committee, once persuasion had run its course

16. Use this

    Cards J to M. Card J, a table, Senate votes on the Treaty of Versailles (US Senate): November 19, 1919, 38 yes, 53 no; March 19, 1920, 49 yes, 35 no. A treaty needs the approval of two-thirds of the senators present; for this sheet, treat the senators who voted as the senators present. In 1920 the Senate had 96 members. Card K, a summary in our words, written today: The Treaty of Versailles, which includes the League of Nations, was signed on June 28, 1919. Senators objected to Article 10, saying it gave the League's Council power over American war decisions. Senator Lodge's group wanted 14 reservations added; a second group refused the treaty in any form. Card L, a summary in our words, written today: By the time Wilson returned from Paris in July 1919, the Office of the Historian says, public opinion strongly favored the treaty, and 32 state legislatures had passed resolutions for it. Card M, a summary in our words, written today: The United States never joined the League of Nations. A separate peace treaty with Germany was signed on August 25, 1921.

17. 10.

    A student says 'the 49 yes votes of March 1920 were votes for the treaty exactly as signed in 1919.' What do cards J and K let Zee say?

    • The claim holds, since Lodge's 14 reservations were part of the treaty signed in 1919
    • Too far: senators wanted reservations (card K), and card J does not say which version was voted on
    • The claim holds, since card J lists the vote as a vote on the Treaty of Versailles
    • The claim fails, since the 49 yes votes came from Lodge's group and the 35 no votes from the refusers