Deck 29: Imperialism and World War I

Question 1

The effect of World War I on European imperialism can best be described as (Global Perspective, pp. 726-727)

A) new territories came under imperialist control.
B) new imperialist powers emerged.
C) tension increased between colonies and their ruling nations.
D) the League of Nations ended imperialism in many places.

Answer 1

tension increased between colonies and their ruling nations.

Question 2

Countries with significant empires in Asia in the nineteenth century (Map 29-1, p. 728) included all of the following except

A) the United States.
B) Germany.
C) Russia.
D) Japan.

Answer 2

Germany.

Question 3

The British established control over Egypt primarily because (Image, p. 730)

A) the French had already expanded their holdings in northern Africa.
B) the nearby Ottoman Empire was collapsing and the British wanted parts of it.
C) the newly created Suez Canal provided a strategic link to their Asian colonies.
D) Egypt possessed vast oil resources.

Answer 3

the newly created Suez Canal provided a strategic link to their Asian colonies.

Question 4

Russia initiated the Pan-Slavic movement primarily in order to

A) honor her alliance with Austria-Hungary.
B) restore her prestige after a series of defeats.
C) obtain access to a warm water port.
D) thwart Bismarck's ambitions against Russia.

Question 5

William II's foreign policy in the first decade of the twentieth century

A) associated France with England and Russia.
B) successfully isolated France.
C) was patterned after that of Bismarck.
D) isolated Germany from Italy and Austria.

Question 6

After the Treaty of Versailles, which of the following empires did not lose territory? (Map 29-4, p. 746)

A) Austrian-Habsburg
B) Russian
C) Ottoman
D) Serbian

Question 7

Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness

A) was based on German misadventures in Egypt.
B) satirized British rule in South Africa.
C) was a gross exaggeration.
D) was based on King Leopold II of Belgium's rule in the Congo.

Question 8

U.S. President Woodrow Wilson

A) had great hopes for the League of Nations.
B) was justly praised for his positions at the beginning of the Paris settlement.
C) was justly scorned for his failures at Versailles.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 9

To what areas of the world did Europe extend its power after 1870? How and why did European attitudes toward imperialism change after 1870? What features differentiate the New Imperialism from previous imperialistic movements? What features do they have in common?
Conceptual

Question 10

Discuss three different theories of the motivation of the New Imperialism. Which theory do you think is closest to the truth? Can it be applied to all the major imperialist countries?
Conceptual

Question 11

What were the costs paid by the colonizing countries for the New Imperialism? Why were these nations not as strong as they appeared in 1914?
Conceptual

Question 12

What circumstances sparked the "scramble for Africa" in the late 1870s? How did this "scramble" affect the populations of Africa?
Conceptual

Question 13

What was unique about the Belgian acquisition of the Congo? What were the consequences of that acquisition for the populations of the Congo, for Belgium, and for King Leopold II?
Conceptual

Question 14

Why did the United States emerge as a major force in international affairs during the late nineteenth century?
Conceptual

Question 15

What role in the world did Bismarck envision for the new Germany after 1871? How successful was he in carrying out his vision? Why? What was Bismarck's attitude toward colonies? Was he wise to tie Germany to Austria-Hungary?
Conceptual

Question 16

"For all their elegance, the foreign policies of Bismarck contained a fatal flaw: only Bismarck could make them work. Therefore, these policies are not worthy of praise." Evaluate this statement, making sure that you describe the main features of Bismarck's policy. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Conceptual

Question 17

What were the reasons for the formation of the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente?
Conceptual

Question 18

Why did Germany lose the First World War? Could it have won, or was victory never a possibility?
Conceptual

Question 19

Describe the style of warfare used in World War I. What new technologies were developed during the war and how did they affect its outcome? What influence do you think the style of warfare had on the soldiers who witnessed and participated in it?
Conceptual

Question 20

Why was Lenin successful in establishing the rule of the Bolsheviks? What role did Trotsky play? Was Lenin right in taking Russia out of the war?
Conceptual

Question 21

What was the purpose of the League of Nations? Who was its major supporter and why was it ultimately ineffective?
Conceptual

Question 22

Assess the settlement of Versailles. What were its good points? Bad points? Was the peace too harsh or too conciliatory? Could it have ensured peace in Europe? How might it have been improved?
Conceptual

Question 23

How did the two Moroccan crises contribute to political instability before World War I? What lessons did European powers learn from these events? How did these lessons shape their foreign policies?
Conceptual

Question 24

Compare and contrast the colonial experiences of Egypt and the Congo. What motivated European powers to intervene in these countries? What determined the different forms that colonialism assumed in these countries?
Conceptual

Question 25

Discuss the Alliance system. How did the creation of formal military pacts contribute to World War I?
Conceptual

Question 26

Could World War I have been avoided? To what extent were the rivalries among the great powers irreconcilable? Was a diplomatic solution possible after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand?
Conceptual