Unit 3 Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars
Case Study: WWI
World War One in the Americas (part of Paper 3: Emergence of the Americas in Global Affairs {1880-1929})
World history topic 11: Causes and effects of 20th century wars This topic focuses on the causes, practice and effects of war in the 20th century. The topic explores the causes of wars, as well as the way in which warfare was conducted, including types of war, the use of technology, and the impact these factors had upon the outcome. Examination questions for this topic will require students to make reference to specific 20th-century wars in their responses and may require students to make reference to examples of wars from two different regions of the world. Please note that the suggested examples for this topic include “cross-regional” wars such as the First and Second World Wars. In examination questions that ask students to discuss examples of wars from different regions, students may use these wars in a regional context (for example, the Second World War in the Pacific) but may not then use the same war in a different region (for example, the Second World War in Europe) in the same response.
TopicPrescribed content
Causes of war
Regional Topic 10: Emergence of the Americas in global affairs (1880–1929)This section focuses on the impact of modernization in the region on foreign policy, including an exploration of the involvement of the region in the First World War. Modernization shaped the new nations, and its effects created the basis for a major shift in the foreign policies of the region. By the end of the 19th century, for example, the United States played a more active role in world affairs and in the affairs of Latin America in particular, thus transforming inter-American relations. When the First World War ended, its impact was felt in the economic, social and foreign policies of the participating countries.
TopicPrescribed content
Causes of war
- Economic, ideological, political, territorial and other causes
- Short- and long-term causes
- Types of war: civil wars; wars between states; guerrilla wars
- Technological developments; air, naval and land warfare
- The extent of the mobilization of human and economic resources
- The influence and/or involvement of foreign powers
- The successes and failures of peacemaking
- Territorial changes
- Political impact: short-term and long-term
- Economic, social and demographic impact; changes in the role and status of women
Regional Topic 10: Emergence of the Americas in global affairs (1880–1929)This section focuses on the impact of modernization in the region on foreign policy, including an exploration of the involvement of the region in the First World War. Modernization shaped the new nations, and its effects created the basis for a major shift in the foreign policies of the region. By the end of the 19th century, for example, the United States played a more active role in world affairs and in the affairs of Latin America in particular, thus transforming inter-American relations. When the First World War ended, its impact was felt in the economic, social and foreign policies of the participating countries.
- United States’ expansionist foreign policies: political, economic, social and ideological reasons
- Spanish–American War (1898): causes and effects
- Impact of United States’ foreign policies: the Big Stick; Dollar Diplomacy; moral diplomacy
- United States and the First World War: from neutrality to involvement; reasons for US entry into the First World War; Wilson’s peace ideals and the struggle for ratification of the Treaty of Versailles in the United States; significance of the war for the United States’ hemispheric status
- Involvement of one country of the Americas (except in the US) in the First World War: nature of, and reasons for, involvement
- Impact of the First World War on any two countries of the Americas: economic, political, social and foreign policies
Unit 3 –Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars (Case Study: WWI)
- Causes, Practices, and Effects of Wars - Read Section 2 pp.14-74
- History of the Americas Course Companion – Read Chapter 1, parts 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6
- Class Discussion on Military Recruitment, pg. 33
- Complete the Zimmermann Telegram activity on pg. 35
- Complete the Declaration of War activity on pg. 36. Answer questions 1-4
- Thinking Skills on 14 Points, pg. 41. Answer questions 1, 2, and 4 (Question 3 for class discussion)
- Complete the Lodge vs. Wilson activity on pp. 44-46
- Class Discussion on Vimy Ridge pg. 49
- Complete the activity “Canada’s Willingness” on pg. 50. Answer questions 1-3
- Class discussion, pg. 53 on command of troops
- Complete the activity “Brazil’s Rationale for War” on pg. 66
- Read the following documents for depth of understanding and discussion
- Canadian History in Documents – Conscription Crisis of WWI
- A History of Latin America –
- Read the following selections
- Argentina pp. 324-326 The First Radical Government: Yrigoyen, 1916-1922
- Brazil pp. 364-366 Decline and Fall of the Old Republic, Economic Impact of WWI thru Postwar Industry and Labor
- Read the following selections
- Illustrated History of Canada
- Read pp. 409-423 (Borden in Peace and War through “The Fruits of War”).
Unit Notes
World War One
Unit 3 Case Study: The First World War
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Guns of August
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rubric_goa_presentations.pdf |