World War I in Review

1. Causes: Nationalism, Imperialism, Militarism. Can you explain how each contributed to the outbreak of the war?
2. Alliance System: Triple Alliance, Triple Entente. Which countries belonged to each alliance system? What were their objectives?
3. Schlieffen Plan: What was it? How did it lead to trench war fare? Why was trench war a sign that the war seemingly had stalled? Describe conditions in the trenches.
4. Why did Canada get involved in WWI? How can you evaluate Canadian contributions? Which battles are noteworthy? Why?
5. Swam Hughes: Who was he? How did he contribute to both fame and infamy with respect to WWI?
6. What were the important contributions by Byng and Currie?
7. What was conscription? Why did conscription lead to a split between French and English Canadians?


Autonomy

8. What is the meaning of autonomy?
9. The following events in history are significant for Canada’s evolution into an autonomous country. Explain each and know how each element contributed to autonomy: (a) Canada conscripted soldiers into the war because volunteers had dried up; conscription does not occur until the success of Vimy Ridge, (b) Canada fights under her own colours and decisions are made by Canadian rather than British commanders when it comes to Canadian decisions, e.g. at Vimy Ridge; (c) Canada is a signatory at the Versailles Peace Conference and gets an independent chair aside from Great Britain; (d) in 1923, Canada signs the Halibut Treaty with the USA; (e) in 1926, Canada experiences the King-Byng crisis and reduces the powers of the Governor General as a result; (f) in 1931, Great Britain passes the Statute of Westminster following the Balfour Declaration and the King-Herzog principle, thus making each former British colony politically independent; (g) in 1965, Canada decides to have her own Maple Leaf flag; (h) in 1982, Canada patriates the Canadian Constitution.
10. At the close of the Great War, a number of events are noteworthy with impact on Canada. How did these events impact Canada? (a) The October Revolution in Russia (1917); (b) the Flu Epidemic; (c) the Winnipeg Strike in 1919.
11. The end of the war brings major economic changes: The pre-war economic slowdown and depression that resulted in large numbers of unemployed had returned when returning soldiers demanded jobs when no jobs were available as a result of the war economy coming to an end. The unemployed of pre-war Canada were absorbed in the military and remaining workers improved their social position through increased unionism. Women also filled many vacant positions. The returning soldiers now put pressure on the government to create peacetime jobs, which took some time and led to a small economic depression. The following groups had issues with the government: labor unions, returning war vets, and western farmers. What were their concerns and how, if at all, were these concerns addressed?
12. The time known as the roaring twenties was a time of rebuilding. Especially the USA economy benefited from the fact that Europe needed to be rebuilt. The result was an economic boom that spread into Canada. Explain.
13. What is speculation? What is the stock market? What is a bubble in stock market terms? What was the stock market crash? How did the stock market crash lead to the Great Depression?
14. How was Canada affected by the Great Depression?
15. What did the government try to do in order to solve the economic woes?