Spanish-American War
WW1
Roaring 20s
Great Depression
WW2
100
What is yellow journalism? (100 pts)
Describes newspapers that presented little legitimate (or actual) researched news. Uses eye-catching headlines to lure readers and distorts the truth.
100
What was the sinking of the Lusitania? And why was it important? (100 pts. per question, 200 possible pts)
A German U-Boat sank British passenger ship called the Lusitania. 1198 died, which included 128 Americans. Important because it caused outrage in the US and helped turn public opinion against Germany. This was a major turning point in WW1 because there were so many civilian deaths at the hands of Germans, which created American support for entering the war.
100
What is the 18th Amendment? Hint: Prohibition (100 pts)
Prohibition -- this law made it illegal to manufacture, sell, and transport alcohol. The law did not ban the actual drinking of alcohol.
100
What happened with the stock market during the great depression? What did this mean? (100 pts.)
The Stock Market Crash of 1929. Panicked investors sold off stocks causing values of big companies to plummet.
100
What was the attack on Pearl Harbor? (100 pts)
Japanese planes began attacking the US at Pearl Harbor. After 2 hours, over 2,400 Americans were killed or wounded. All 8 battleships of the Pacific Fleet were damaged or sunk. This was the main cause that brought the US into WWII.
100
What was the explosion of the USS Maine? (100 pts)
The US ship called the USS Maine was blown up. 255 American Sailors were killed after this mysterious explosion.
100
What was the Zimmermann telegram? Why was it important? (100 pts each, 200 pts possible)
The Zimmerman telegram was a secret message from Germany to Mexico trying to persuade Mexico to attack the US if the US declared war on Germany. Germany promised to help Mexico regain the land it lost to the US in the Mexican War. Important because it proposed an alliance between Germany and Mexico. If the US declared war on Germany, Mexico should declare war on the US. Americans were shocked and this persuaded the US to join the war.
100
What was the 19th Amendment? Hint: Voting (100 pts)
This gave women the right to vote in political elections
100
What was the Dust Bowl? (100 pts.)
Event where there were high winds and dust storms, paired with severe drought and poor farming practices.
100
What were the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? (100 pts)
The US used atomic bombs to attack Japan. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Many died instantly, or due to injuries and radiation. Bodies and buildings were completely devastated by the blast.
200
How was yellow journalism a cause of the Spanish-American War? (200 pts)
It fanned war fever and caused US public opinion to turn in favor of the Cuban independence movement and worsened relations with Spain. Demonstrated that the press had the power to capture public attention and influence reaction to international events.
200
What was the purpose of propaganda during WW1? (200 pts)
To make people join the military
To conserve resources (ration)
Buy war bonds (loans to the government)
Love your country/hate the enemy
200
What was the Harlem Renaissance and why was it important? (200 pts)
A movement of African-American culture in literature, dance, music, and art between 1919 and the mid 1930s. Gave a new spirit of self determination and pride, as well as political activism to African Americans across the US.
200
Describe the effects of the stock market crash? (200 pts)
There was panic after some lost faith in the banks. This caused a rush of people to withdraw money from them. Thousands of banks failed because of this. The chain reaction led to thousands of businesses going bankrupt as well. Unemployment skyrocketed.
200
Why did Pearl Harbor cause the US to enter WWII? (200 pts)
The attack was a surprise attack and was unprovoked. Before the attack, many Americans were hesitant to become involved in the war in Europe. However, the attack changed this because the US declared war on Japan, which brought it into WWII. Isolation was no longer an option and Americans enthusiastically supported the war effort due to the negative feelings they had about the attack on Pearl Harbor.
200
How did yellow journalism portray the explosion of the USS Maine? And how did this lead to the Spanish-American War? (300 pts.)
Yellow journalism immediately blamed Spain for the explosion. This turned Americans against the Spanish and Spain later declares war on the US.
200
What is trench warfare? Describe what life in the trenches was like? (200 pts)
A type of combat in which opposing troops fight from trenches facing each other. Strategy used during WWI. Little progress made on the battlefield. Allowed soldiers some protection from enemy fire but also prevented troops from advancing on the battlefield, thus prolonging the war. (Stalemate)
Rain water, dead soldiers, bugs, rats, lice, trench foot
200
What is an assembly line and why were they important? (200 pts)
An arrangement of machines, equipment, and workers in which work passes from operation to operation in direct line until the product is assembled. Made mass production possible which was large scale product manufacturing. Increased efficiency, particularly in the automobile industry with Henry Ford.
200
What were the effects of the Dust Bowl? (200 pts)
Farmers could barely make a living. They couldn't make payments to banks, which caused many to leave their homes for the west. People migrated to California in search of better job opportunities and living conditions. People were unemployed and not very hopeful
200
How did the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki end WWII on the Pacific front? (200 pts)
After the Japanese emperor saw the devastation from the bombs, Japan surrendered and ended the war on the Pacific front. Japan knew that if they didn't surrender, the US could continue using atomic bombs and push further into nuclear warfare.
300
Explain the importance of the Spanish-American War. (300 pts)
(Various answers accepted) This war ended Spain's empire in the Western Hemisphere and secured the position of the United States as a World Power. This was an important milestone to imperialism and the rise of the US.
300
What was the climate of suspicion during WWI? Who was this against and how did this affect them? (300 pts)
Suspicion of disloyalty led to the mistreatment of German-Americans. Feeling led to violence. Anyone appearing disloyal came under attack. This was against Germans and affected German-Americans.
Ex. German food names were changed, schools dropped German language courses, orchestras dropped German composers/opera, German-born citizens attacked.
300
Overall, describe what it was like to be living in the Roaring 20s. Include details, key events, and why this time period was "Roaring". (300 pts)
300
Describe what it was like to be living in the Great Depression. Please include information about the stock market crash and the Dust Bowl in your answer. (300 pts.)
Stocks continued to fall, businesses failed, and unemployment rose dramatically. Many Americans did not feel hopeful, as they didn't have job or savings, which led to them losing their homes. Many migrated west to find better opportunities. The Dust Bowl was very hard on people and made these economic factors much worse.
300
Explain how the US shifted its mentality from when it first ended the war (Pearl Harbor) to when it helped end the war (Hiroshima & Nagasaki). AKA How did the US feel/act at the beginning vs. how did the US feel/act at the end? (300 pts)
The US was reluctant to join WWII until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. This made a lot of Americans support joining the war and the US wanted to do something because of the attack. By the end of the war, the US had atomic bombs and used nuclear warfare to scare Japan and the rest of the world about the dangers of nuclear warfare. This led the US to becoming a global power and showed its strength and power to the rest of the world.