Essay Questions

Why did the United States government lock up Japanese-Americans in concentration camps during World War II?

Japanese-Americans were put into concentration camps because the United States government claimed that their true ties may lie with the Japanese Empire (not the Untied States) and that they may try to sabotage America's war effort (by, for example, blowing up a munitions factory).

However, a commission that was put in charge of studying why the Japanese-Americans in the camps concluded that they were imprisoned because of "race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership. Widespread ignorance of Japanese Americans contributed to a policy conceived in haste and executed in an atmosphere of fear and anger at Japan."

What were Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points?

Nearing the end of World War I and the defeat of the Central Powers (primarily Germany and the Ottoman Empire), U.S. President Woodrow Wilson thought that he ought to come up with some principles for peace that should be used when negotiating the peace treaty to end the war (a treaty which would become the Treaty of Versailles). Some of the points included points on arms control, the free navigation of the seas, and geographical border readjustments.

What was the Watergate Scandal surrounding President Richard Nixon and his Administration?

The Watergate Scandal surrounding President Richard Nixon's Administration started when a group of five men burglarized the Democratic National Committee's headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington D.C., Maryland. Nixon, who initially denied involvement, wanted the men to steal the files of his upcoming Democratic opponent so that he could gain an edge in the election (this is according to Woodward and Bernstein, who were crucial in breaking the story, but it has never been fully established why Nixon ordered the break-ins). Nixon and the other parties involved tried desperately to cover up their involvement, but they were ultimately found out, forcing the Senate and House of Representatives to start impeachment hearings, which would later cause Nixon to resign.

After Nixon's resignation, Gerald Ford became President. He then promptly pardoned Nixon.