1. Name: ________________________ Date: ______________ Ntbk #: ______
Study Guide  CA #3 – History of Europe
I. European Exploration
A. Define imperialism:
When one country takes over another country’s government or economy.
B. Why did Europeans begin exploring for new lands/territories?
Spread Christianity, acquire more resources, acquire more power, new trade routes/partners
C. How did Europe’s geography help with their exploration of the world?
A lot of Europe is near water (good for ships) and Europe’s many rivers make importing and
exporting goods convenient
D. Describe Prince Henry the Navigator:
Portuguese navigator who helped improve Portuguese naval technology
E. What is important about Christopher Columbus and his voyage in 1492?
While Christopher Columbus was NOT the first European to reach the Americas, it was after
his visit that many Europeans began to do the same.
F. Why did Christopher Columbus call the first Native Americans he made contact with Indians?
Because he thought he was in India.
G. What was the old expression relating to the large size of the British Empire?
“The sun never sets on the British Empire”. It came from the fact that Britain had many
empires all around the world
II. World War I (1914-1918)
A. List and define the causes of World War I:
- Imperialism  See above
- Nationalism  Pride in one’s country
- Alliances  Countries joined in when their allies joined in the war (domino effect)
- The assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary
B. List The Allies and the Central Powers:
Allies – Great Britain, France, Russia, & the U.S.A.
Central Powers – Austria-Hungary, Germany, & the Ottoman Empire
C. How did the industrial revolution impact WWI?
It allowed countries to mass-produce new deadly weapons (machine gun, tank, etc.)
D. What caused the U.S. to get involved in WWI?
German U-boats sinking the British passenger ship, the Lusitania. It killed American civilians.
E. What was the Treaty of Versailles? What did it say/do?
Treaty that ended WWI. It said that Germany had to claim responsibility for the war and pay
money to the allies for the damages caused during the war. It also put restrictions on the size
of the German army.
III. Russian Revolution (1917)
A. Who was in charge of Russia before the revolution? What type of government was in place?
Czar Nicholas II – He was a dictator (Autocracy)
B. Explain how WWI impacted the revolution:
WWI just made problems worse - food shortages, high taxes, bad working conditions, etc.
C. Who led the revolution?

2. Name: ________________________ Date: ______________ Ntbk #: ______
Vladimir Lenin
D. What kind of government was in place after the revolution?
Communist government
IV. Time Between the 2 Wars
A. What day did the U.S. Stock market crash?
October 29, 1929 – Black Tuesday
B. What events led to the stock market crash?
During the Roaring 20’s people were spending freely and living above their means
C. Explain the effects of the U.S. stock market crash?
Businesses went broke, banks crashed, people lost their jobs – this happened worldwide
D. Explain how the worldwide depression helped the rise of certain dictators (Hitler, Mussolini)?
During the tough economic times people were vulnerable and looking for answers, and these
dictators promised change, improvement, and to restore national pride.
V. World War II (1939-1945)
A. What is said to be the cause of WWII?
The treaty of Versailles – It left Germany embarrassed and in financial trouble which helped
lead to the emergence of Adolf Hitler
B. List the Allies and the Axis Powers and the leaders of each county:
Allies –
Great Britain (Churchill), U.S.A. (FDR), USSR (Stalin), France (de Gaulle), and China (Kai-shek)
Axis Powers –
Germany (Hitler), Italy (Mussolini), and Japan (Tojo)
C. What caused the United States to get involved in WWII?
The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor
D. What marked the end of WWII?
The U.S. dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan
VI. Cold War
A. Which 2 countries were involved in the Cold War?
United States and Soviet Union
B. What happened the country of Germany AND its capital, Berlin, after WWII?
They were both split up amongst the Allies – France, USA, USSR, and Great Britain
C. In your own words, explain what the Cold War was:
Disagreements between USA and Russia over political beliefs (communism), the threat of
both countries having nuclear weapons, & competition between the 2 countries (space race)

3. Name: ________________________ Date: ______________ Ntbk #: ______
D. What was the Berlin Wall and why was it built?
A large wall built between East and West Berlin – It was constructed to prevent people in East
Berlin to go to West Berlin