GED Social Studies : World Wars I and II

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GED Social Studies

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Imperialism And Nationalism

The Balfour Declaration proposed to __________

Possible Answers:

create the United Nations.

assure American troops would remain out of conflict during World War One.

abolish the League of Nations.

create a Jewish state in the territory of Palestine.

prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Correct answer:

create a Jewish state in the territory of Palestine.

Explanation:

The Balfour Declaration was published in 1917 and proposed to create a new nation for the Jewish people in the territory of Palestine. This nation would come to be called Israel. It represents a massive milestone in the Zionist movement to achieve an independent Jewish nation.

Example Question #2 : Imperialism And Nationalism

The World War Two agreement between the United States and Great Britain about the nature of the post-war world and the state of self-determination in the world was called __________.

Possible Answers:

The Allied Powers Act

The Warsaw Pact

The League of Nations

The Yalta Agreement

The Atlantic Charter

Correct answer:

The Atlantic Charter

Explanation:

The Atlantic Charter was an agreement signed between the United States and Great Britain in 1941. It proposed the ideal manner in which the war and the post-war world should be conducted and shaped. It was later supported by the other allied powers and led to the creation of the United Nations.

Example Question #1 : World Wars I And Ii

Which of these countries was not a member of the Axis Powers in World War Two?

Possible Answers:

The Soviet Union

All of these nations were members of the Axis Powers

Italy

Germany

Japan

Correct answer:

The Soviet Union

Explanation:

In World War Two, the Axis Powers were Germany, Japan, and Italy. They fought against the Allied Powers of Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union.

Example Question #2 : World Wars I And Ii

The Potsdam Conference was __________

Possible Answers:

convened to divide the territories of Africa among the various Imperialist European powers.

the last wartime meeting between the Soviet Union, Britain, and the United States during World War Two.

the first meeting of democratic Russia and the United States after the fall of the Soviet Union.

the meeting in which the treaty ending the Korean War in a stalemate was signed.

abandoned following a series of terrorist attacks.

Correct answer:

the last wartime meeting between the Soviet Union, Britain, and the United States during World War Two.

Explanation:

The Potsdam Conference took place in occupied Germany during the waning days of the Second World War. It was attended by all the Allied Powers, although focus tends to go towards President Truman, representing the United States, Josef Stalin, representing the Soviet Union, and Prime Ministers Winston Churchill and later Clement Attlee, representing Great Britain. The Allied Powers met to decide how to punish Germany and how to rebuild the world after the war.

Example Question #3 : World Wars I And Ii

In the system of alliances that arose immediately prior to World War I, which group of countries formed the Triple Entente?

Possible Answers:

Russia, France, and the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States

France, Spain, and Italy

Germany, Italy, and Japan

Germany, Austria, and the Ottoman Empire

Correct answer:

Russia, France, and the United Kingdom

Explanation:

The Triple Entente, entente meaning "friendship" in French, was cemented by the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente in 1907. The French and Russians had already entered into an alliance in 1894, while the UK and Frace had put an end to centuries of imperial animosity in 1904. In addition to ending competition between the three constituent powers, the alliance that formed on the basis of the agreements provided for military cooperation as well. The Triple Entente also came about as a geo-political counterweight to the power wielded over Central Europe by the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. The web of alliances that spread over most of Europe has long been thought to have been one of the precipitating factors that led to the spread of war across the continent in WWI. 

Example Question #2 : World Wars I And Ii

In the Russian Revolution __________

Possible Answers:

the Russian monarchy fell and was replaced by a communist government.

the Russian monarchy fell and was replaced by representative democracy.

the Russian monarchy fell and was replaced by full democracy.

Russia lost its foreign colonies and became a republic.

communism declined in influence and was replaced by democracy.

Correct answer:

the Russian monarchy fell and was replaced by a communist government.

Explanation:

The Russian Revolution took place in 1917 and witnessed the decline of the longstanding Russian monarchy to be replaced with a communist government. The primary cause for the Russian revolution was the extended suffering of the Russian people during World War One. The Russian Revolution caused Russia to withdraw from World War One and precipitated the rise of the Soviet Union.

Example Question #3 : World Wars I And Ii

Czar Nicholas II __________

Possible Answers:

was exiled to communist China.

abolished serfdom in Russia.

was killed by Josef Stalin.

presided over the Russian war effort in World War Two.

was the last monarch of Russia.

Correct answer:

was the last monarch of Russia.

Explanation:

Czar Nicholas II was the last monarch of Russia. When the Russian monarchy fell during the Russian Revolution of 1917, Nicholas and his family were executed. Czar Alexander II abolished serfdom and is therefore sometimes known as Alexander the Liberator. Josef Stalin presided over the Soviet war effort during World War Two.

Example Question #4 : World Wars I And Ii

The first leader of the Soviet Union was __________

Possible Answers:

Nikita Khrushchev.

Czar Alexander II.

Josef Stalin.

Pol Pot.

Vladimir Lenin.

Correct answer:

Vladimir Lenin.

Explanation:

The first leader of the Soviet Union, which began in 1922, was Vladimir Lenin. Lenin was one of the leaders of the Russian Revolution, in which the monarchy was overthrown and replaced with socialism. He would serve as leader of the Soviet Union until his death, when he was replaced by Josef Stalin. Stalin in turn would reign throughout the thirties and forties until his death led to the leadership of Nikita Khrushchev.

Example Question #6 : World Wars I And Ii

For what accomplishment, primarily, was Woodrow Wilson awarded the Nobel Peace Prize?

Possible Answers:

Founding the League of Nations

Founding the United Nations

Establishing the Red Cross

Signing a nuclear non-proliferation pact with the Soviet Union

The Geneva Convention

Correct answer:

Founding the League of Nations

Explanation:

In 1919, Woodrow Wilson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work founding the League of Nations, although the League was hampered by the refusal of Wilson’s Congress to ratify American participation in the it.

Example Question #2 : World Wars I And Ii

The Dawes Plan was designed to __________.

Possible Answers:

provide food and aid to Berlin during the blockade of 1948

prevent the spread of socialism in Central and South America by providing financial support to capitalists, republicans, and dictators alike

divide Europe between a Western, American influenced, capitalist bloc and an Eastern, Soviet influenced, socialist bloc

remedy the international problem arising from German debt in the aftermath of World War One

rebuild the economies of Western Europe in the aftermath of World War Two to prevent them from sliding into socialism

Correct answer:

remedy the international problem arising from German debt in the aftermath of World War One

Explanation:

In the immediate aftermath of World War One, the Entente powers sought to make Germany responsible for the financial and human costs of the conflict. The Treaty of Versailles essentially placed all blame for the conflict with the German government, insisting that the Germans pay astronomical reparations. This caused hyperinflation in Germany along with the rise of radical and reactionary ideologies (like Nazism). In an attempt to remedy this situation, the Dawes Plan was established to provide a staggered payment plan and a substantial financial loan from the United States.

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