American History Quiz: 1920s and Post-WWI

After World War I, many American soldiers found it difficult to return to civilian life because —

• They received too much government support when they returned

• There were few available jobs and little understanding of mental health issues

• Most were sent overseas again after the war

• The government refused to recognize their military service

Answer explanation

After WWI, factories stopped producing war goods, unemployment rose, and soldiers with physical and psychological injuries like “shell shock” received little to no support.

The term “shell shock” was used during World War I to describe —

• A new kind of chemical weapon used in trench warfare

• A mental condition caused by the trauma of war, now known as PTSD

• A type of battlefield injury involving explosives

• Soldiers who refused to fight in battle

Answer explanation

Many soldiers experienced anxiety, nightmares, and depression from the trauma of trench warfare — what we now call post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Why did President Warren G. Harding promote a “Return to Normalcy”?

• Americans were tired of international conflicts and government regulation

• The U.S. wanted to form stronger alliances with Europe

• He supported higher taxes and labor reforms

• He wanted to expand military influence globally

Answer explanation

After years of reform and war, Americans wanted stability, limited government involvement, and a focus on domestic prosperity.

The U.S. Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles primarily because —

• It would have forced the U.S. to join the League of Nations and future wars

• It gave too much power to Germany

• It punished Great Britain for the war

• It forced the U.S. to pay war reparations

Answer explanation

Many senators feared that joining the League would drag the U.S. into European conflicts, going against the desire for isolationism.

The policy of isolationism in the 1920s meant that the United States —

• Focused on rebuilding Europe’s economy

• Avoided political and military involvement in foreign nations

• Increased immigration from Asia and Europe

• Joined new global organizations to ensure peace

Answer explanation

The U.S. focused inward, rebuilding its own economy instead of joining alliances or European affairs.

Why did thousands of workers go on strike in 1919?

• They wanted lower prices for goods

• They demanded better wages and working conditions after wartime inflation

• They were ordered to by labor unions

• They protested against women working in factories

Answer explanation

• Prices rose after the war, but wages didn’t. Workers organized strikes to protect their gains from the Progressive Era.

The Red Scare of 1919–1920 was fueled by —

• The rise of communism after the Russian Revolution

• Fear that immigrants were taking over factory jobs

• Protests by farmers and rural workers

• The spread of socialism in the military

Answer explanation

Americans feared that the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia would inspire communists to overthrow capitalism in the U.S.

The Palmer Raids reflected Americans’ fear of —

• Violent revolutionaries and communist infiltration

• European immigration quotas

• A decline in religious values

• Losing access to foreign trade markets

Answer explanation

Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer ordered mass arrests of suspected radicals during the Red Scare.

What civil rights violation occurred during the Palmer Raids?

• Arrests and deportations without warrants or evidence

• Forcing Americans to buy war bonds

• Closing all labor unions

• Censoring newspapers that supported capitalism

Answer explanation

Many immigrants and political activists were detained or deported without due process, violating constitutional rights.

Why were immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe feared during the 1920s?

• They were believed to bring radical political ideas like communism

• They were wealthier than most Americans

• They supported women’s suffrage

• They refused to work in U.S. factories

Answer explanation

Many Americans blamed new immigrants for labor unrest and saw them as potential radicals.