WJEC A-LEVEL HISTORY UNIT 3 THE
AMERICAN CENTURY 1890-1990 PART
2 THE MAKING OF A SUPERPOWER
COMPLETE ANSWERS
What did Woodrow Wilson do to show he would be an isolationist president? -
ANSWER-1 - Emphasised a need for a peaceful and ethical approach
2 - Appointed William Jennings Bryan as his secretary of state (leader of anti
imperialist league)
3 - Withdrew dollar diplomacy in 1913
4 - did not join WW1 when it begun
What evidence shows that Wilson followed an intervensionist foreign policy -
ANSWER-1 - sent marines to occupy Vera Cruz to restore order but only
strengthened the position of the Mexican dictator
-- criticised by anti imperialists for intervening
-- criticised by T. Roosevelt and H.L. Lodge for not being strong enough
2 - sent a large army led by General John Pershing to capture Mexican leader
Pancho Villa, spent months pursuing him with no success and were withdrawn in
1917
Why did the USA refuse to join WW1? - ANSWER-1 - They viwed the first world war
as "Europes war"
2 - No strong standing army
3 - Traditional attitude of neutrality
4 - W.J Bryan believed that war should only be fought if morally justified
5 - Many Americans had anti-colonial ideas and were against countries like Britains
colonial power
6 - USA lost money due to Britains naval blockade of Germany
7 - Many immigrant communities in the USA hated European countries
Why did the USA join WW1 in 1917 - ANSWER-1 - German invasion of Belgium in
1914, reports of atrocities against "plucky little Belgium" --> Anti-German feelings
2 - Sinking of the Lusitania 1915
3 - W.J Bryan resigns as secretary of state --> weakened anti war campaign
4 - Secret report from Britain that their war effort was bankrupt
5 - Communist revolution in Russia 1917 --> fight for democracy
6 - Businessmen + bankers profitted from allied trade
7 - Zimmerman telegram proposing a secret alliance between Germany and Mexico
that if they joined on Germanys side they would be rewarded with American land -->
intercepted by Britain
8 - Could not ignore the threat/rise of Japan
How did the USA contribute to victory in WW1? - ANSWER-1 - New ideas that break
the deadlock
, 2 - Mass conscript army
3 - Jan 1918 onwards ; arriving at 250,000 a month
4 - Blocked the Ludendorff Offensive
5 - Fresh soldiers --> not tired
Limitations to the USAs involvement in WW1 - ANSWER-1 - Took time to train and
equip soldiers
2 - Slow arriving throughout 1917
Why was Woodrow Wilson so highly regarded following the war? - ANSWER-1 -
Introduced his 14 points for peace
2 - No question of American guilt for starting the war
3 - Hadn't suffered years of exhaustion --> strong economically and millirary
4 - Democratic and anti colonial history --> "clean hnds" --> moral superiority
5 - Wanted self determination
6 - Wanted collective security --> L.O.N
What were the 14 points for peace? - ANSWER-1 - Open diplomacy
2 - Freedom of the seas
3 - Removal of economic barriers
4 - Reduction of armaments
5 - Adjustment of colonial claims
6 - Conquered territories in Russia
7 - Preservation of Belgian sovereignty
8 - Restoration of French territories
9 - Redrawing of Italian territories
10 - Division of Austria-Hungary
11 - Redrawing og Balkan boundaries
12 - Limitations on Turkey
13 - Establishment of an independent Poland
14 - Creation of an Association of Nations
What difficulties faced Wilson at home? - ANSWER-1 - Demobilisation did not go
smoothly
2 - Interracial violence in army
3 - Economic issues --> inflation
4 - Many thought that the wars rewards was not worth the costs --> 50,000 dead and
675,000 Spanish flu
5 - Resented involvement in "Europes war"
6 - Congress voted against the USA joining the L.O.Nv
When was the Spanish American War? - ANSWER-1898
When was the Alaska boundary dispute? - ANSWER-1903
When was the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine? - ANSWER-1905
When was the Panama Canal built? - ANSWER-1904-1914
AMERICAN CENTURY 1890-1990 PART
2 THE MAKING OF A SUPERPOWER
COMPLETE ANSWERS
What did Woodrow Wilson do to show he would be an isolationist president? -
ANSWER-1 - Emphasised a need for a peaceful and ethical approach
2 - Appointed William Jennings Bryan as his secretary of state (leader of anti
imperialist league)
3 - Withdrew dollar diplomacy in 1913
4 - did not join WW1 when it begun
What evidence shows that Wilson followed an intervensionist foreign policy -
ANSWER-1 - sent marines to occupy Vera Cruz to restore order but only
strengthened the position of the Mexican dictator
-- criticised by anti imperialists for intervening
-- criticised by T. Roosevelt and H.L. Lodge for not being strong enough
2 - sent a large army led by General John Pershing to capture Mexican leader
Pancho Villa, spent months pursuing him with no success and were withdrawn in
1917
Why did the USA refuse to join WW1? - ANSWER-1 - They viwed the first world war
as "Europes war"
2 - No strong standing army
3 - Traditional attitude of neutrality
4 - W.J Bryan believed that war should only be fought if morally justified
5 - Many Americans had anti-colonial ideas and were against countries like Britains
colonial power
6 - USA lost money due to Britains naval blockade of Germany
7 - Many immigrant communities in the USA hated European countries
Why did the USA join WW1 in 1917 - ANSWER-1 - German invasion of Belgium in
1914, reports of atrocities against "plucky little Belgium" --> Anti-German feelings
2 - Sinking of the Lusitania 1915
3 - W.J Bryan resigns as secretary of state --> weakened anti war campaign
4 - Secret report from Britain that their war effort was bankrupt
5 - Communist revolution in Russia 1917 --> fight for democracy
6 - Businessmen + bankers profitted from allied trade
7 - Zimmerman telegram proposing a secret alliance between Germany and Mexico
that if they joined on Germanys side they would be rewarded with American land -->
intercepted by Britain
8 - Could not ignore the threat/rise of Japan
How did the USA contribute to victory in WW1? - ANSWER-1 - New ideas that break
the deadlock
, 2 - Mass conscript army
3 - Jan 1918 onwards ; arriving at 250,000 a month
4 - Blocked the Ludendorff Offensive
5 - Fresh soldiers --> not tired
Limitations to the USAs involvement in WW1 - ANSWER-1 - Took time to train and
equip soldiers
2 - Slow arriving throughout 1917
Why was Woodrow Wilson so highly regarded following the war? - ANSWER-1 -
Introduced his 14 points for peace
2 - No question of American guilt for starting the war
3 - Hadn't suffered years of exhaustion --> strong economically and millirary
4 - Democratic and anti colonial history --> "clean hnds" --> moral superiority
5 - Wanted self determination
6 - Wanted collective security --> L.O.N
What were the 14 points for peace? - ANSWER-1 - Open diplomacy
2 - Freedom of the seas
3 - Removal of economic barriers
4 - Reduction of armaments
5 - Adjustment of colonial claims
6 - Conquered territories in Russia
7 - Preservation of Belgian sovereignty
8 - Restoration of French territories
9 - Redrawing of Italian territories
10 - Division of Austria-Hungary
11 - Redrawing og Balkan boundaries
12 - Limitations on Turkey
13 - Establishment of an independent Poland
14 - Creation of an Association of Nations
What difficulties faced Wilson at home? - ANSWER-1 - Demobilisation did not go
smoothly
2 - Interracial violence in army
3 - Economic issues --> inflation
4 - Many thought that the wars rewards was not worth the costs --> 50,000 dead and
675,000 Spanish flu
5 - Resented involvement in "Europes war"
6 - Congress voted against the USA joining the L.O.Nv
When was the Spanish American War? - ANSWER-1898
When was the Alaska boundary dispute? - ANSWER-1903
When was the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine? - ANSWER-1905
When was the Panama Canal built? - ANSWER-1904-1914
