WWI
Why was the Zimmerman Telegram strategically attractive to Germany, despite the diplomatic risk?
If successful, a Mexican attack might have kept the U.S. out of Europe by forcing America into a war closer to home.
How did the Bolshevik Revolution influence American domestic policy beyond simple fear of communism?
It encouraged the government to expand surveillance, restrict civil liberties, and aggressively pursue suspected radicals.
How did Americans’ experiences living in Hoovervilles shape public attitudes about government responsibility?
Many thought that government needed to play a larger role in protecting citizens because the market alone had failed them
How did Ford’s assembly line contribute to cultural as well as economic change?
Mass production made cars affordable, increasing mobility, creating suburbs, and changing work patterns nationwide
How did U.S. laws like the Neutrality Act and Lend-Lease demonstrate gradual movement away from isolationism before Pearl Harbor?
They provided increasing military and economic aid to the Allies without formally entering the war.
How did unrestricted submarine warfare threaten traditional rules of war and international neutrality?
It targeted non-military and neutral commercial ships, violating long-standing ideas of protected civilian shipping
Explain how the First Red Scare helped redefine the meaning of “Americanism.”
Loyalty became associated with anti-radical and anti-communist patriotism, narrowing who was seen as truly “American.”
What were two major causes of the Dust Bowl?
Overfarming and drought.
Why did 1920s advertising become more effective than earlier forms of commercial messaging?
It targeted consumer emotions and aspirations, not just needs, creating a culture of desire and lifestyle identity.
How did rationing reflect changing expectations about citizens’ responsibilities during wartime?
Americans were expected to sacrifice consumer goods to support military needs, reinforcing the idea of shared national effort.
Explain how WWI directly stimulated population changes that reshaped Northern cities.
Labor shortages caused by the war created job opportunities in the North, pulling large populations of African Americans out of the Jim Crow South
Why did the Palmer Raids ultimately lose public support despite early enthusiasm?
Many raids ignored due process and civil rights, and the predicted communist revolution never materialized, making the hysteria appear exaggerated.
What was the main purpose of the CCC?
To give young men jobs working on outdoor conservation projects.
How did radio help erase regional differences in American life?
Americans across the country consumed the same news, entertainment, music, and political messages at the same time.
How did A. Philip Randolph use WWII as leverage to pursue civil rights?
Defense labor shortages gave him political power, allowing him to pressure FDR into integrating the defense industry.
How did the Espionage Act limit traditional constitutional freedoms, and why was this justified at the time?
It restricted First Amendment freedoms by criminalizing anti-war speech, which the government justified as necessary to maintain wartime unity and national security.
How did the Quota Acts reinforce existing social and cultural tensions in the United States?
They legally prioritized northern and western European immigrants and discriminated against southern, eastern European, and Asian immigrants, supporting nativist attitudes.
Name the 3 R's of FDR's New Deal Program and what did they mean.
Relief- Programs that provide immediate assistance for people needing food/shelter
Recovery- Programs designed to fix the economy and provide jobs
Reform- Programs designed to prevent these issues from happening again
How did motion pictures influence consumer behavior and social expectations?
Americans began copying styles, behavior, and products seen on screen, shaping nationwide trends and aspirations.
How did the Supreme Court justify the ruling in Korematsu v. United States, and why is it seen as problematic today?
The Court claimed national security outweighed individual rights, but the decision is now viewed as discriminatory wartime hysteria.
Although Wilson proposed the League of Nations, explain two reasons the U.S. Senate rejected joining it.
Fear of being dragged into foreign conflicts and a desire to return to isolationism without permanent military obligations.
How did the unintended results of Prohibition challenge traditional views about the government’s role in regulating morality?
Instead of creating a more moral society, it fueled organized crime and disrespect for the law, showing that legislating morality could backfire.
What did the Wagner Act allow workers to do?
Form labor unions and negotiate (collectively bargain) with employers.
Explain how both jazz and the Harlem Renaissance challenged racial assumptions in early 20th-century America.
They showcased Black artistic talent and cultural innovation, helping shift perceptions and introduce mainstream America to Black cultural identity.
Why was the Manhattan Project not only a military decision but also a geopolitical one?
It signaled U.S. strategic dominance and discouraged future Axis or Soviet aggression in the postwar world.