World War I Vocabulary List

World War Definition: A war involving many nations of the world.

Nationalism Definition: A feeling that people have of being loyal to and proud of their country often with the belief that it is better and more important than other countries.

Colonial Empire Definition: A group of countries or regions that are controlled by one ruler or one government.

Alliance Definition: A union between people, groups, countries, etc.: A relationship in which people agree to work together.

Terrorist Definition: The use of violent acts to frighten the people in an area as a way of trying to achieve a political goal.

The Allies (also known as the Allied Powers) Definition An alliance made between France, Great Britain, Russia, Belgium, the United States, and Italy.

The Central Powers Definition: An alliance made between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire.

Stalemate Definition: A situation in which neither side wins or loses. For most of WWI, the Allies and the Central Powers were in a stalemate, neither side could achieve a victory.

Neutral Definition: Not aligned with, supporting, or favoring either side in a war, dispute, or contest.

Propaganda Definition: Ideas or statements that are often false or exaggerated and that are spread in order to help a cause, a political leader, a government, etc.

Blockade Definition: To stop people or supplies from entering or leaving (a port or country) especially during a war.

Sussex Pledge Definition: An agreement made between Germany and the United States. Germany promised the United States that it would not attack neutral ships entering British waters.

The Zimmerman Telegraph Definition: A telegraph sent from the German foreign minister to the German ambassador in Mexico. The German ambassador was instructed to make a secret alliance with Mexico. In exchange, Germany would help Mexico gain lands they lost to America in the Treaty of Guadalupe- Hidalgo.

Select Service Act (1917) Definition: A law that stated all American males between the ages of 21 and 30 must sign up for the military draft. The military draft helped increase the size and strength of the U.S. Army.

War Bonds Definition: An official document in which a government promises to pay back an amount of money that it has borrowed and to pay interest for the borrowed money. War bonds were issued to help a nation finance a war.

The Espionage Act (1917) Definition: This act made it illegal for Americans to disrupt the recruiting process. The act also made it illegal to mail materials (letters, posters, etc.) that were against America’s involvement in WWI. A person who was convicted of aiding the enemy or disrupting the recruitment process could be fined up to $10,000 or placed in prison for up to twenty years.

The Sedition Act (1918) Definition: The act made it illegal for an American to say anything against the war, (i.e., including the practice of buying war bonds, the U.S. Constitution, the government). Americans could not makes speeches against the war, or publish newspaper articles or posters against America’s involvement in WWI.

Schenck v. United States (1919) Definition: In 1919, Charles Schenck challenged the constitutionality of the Espionage Act, claiming that it violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution (Freedom of Speech). Schenck had violated the Espionage Act by distributing circulars encouraging American draftees not to report to recruiting stations. However, the U.S. Supreme Court stated that freedom of speech can be limited when it presents a “clear and present danger” to the United States.

Trench Warfare Definition: Warfare in which the opposing forces attack and counterattack from a relatively permanent system of trenches protected by barbed-wire entanglements.

Communist Definition: A person who believes in communism or is a member of a political party that supports communism. Communism: A social system in which property and goods are owned in common (equally amongst the population).

Armistice Definition: An agreement to stop fighting a war.

Fourteen Points Definition: A statement of the war aims of the Allies, made by President Wilson on January 8, 1918.

League of Nations Definition: An international organization to promote world peace and cooperation that was created by the Treaty of Versailles (1919).

Treaty of Versailles (1919) A treaty made between Allies and Germany at the end of World War I. The treaty made Germany accept full responsibility for the war. The treaty also stated that Germany had to pay $33 billion dollars in war reparations to the Allies.

Reparation Definition: Money that a country or group that loses a war pays because of the damage, injury, deaths, etc., it has caused.

Isolationism Definition: A national policy of avoiding international political and economic relations.