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AP Modern World History Practice Quiz: Causes of World War II

Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026

Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 7 questions to check your progress.

Question 1 of 7

According to the provided text, which of the following was a direct cause of World War II?

All Questions (7)

According to the provided text, which of the following was a direct cause of World War II?

A) The global economic crisis engendered by the Great Depression.

B) The decline of global imperialism.

C) The success of the post-World War I peace settlement.

D) The establishment of stable democratic governments in Europe.

Correct Answer: A

The text explicitly lists 'the global economic crisis engendered by the Great Depression' as one of the primary causes of World War II.

The provided text emphasizes which factor as a particularly significant cause leading to the aggressive militarism of Nazi Germany?

A) The unsustainable peace settlement after World War I.

B) Continued imperialist aspirations.

C) The rise to power of fascist and totalitarian regimes.

D) The global economic crisis.

Correct Answer: C

The text states, '...and especially the rise to power of fascist and totalitarian regimes that resulted in the aggressive militarism of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler,' highlighting this as the most direct cause for that specific outcome.

All of the following are identified as causes of World War II in the text EXCEPT:

A) The consequences of the Great Depression.

B) The formation of the League of Nations.

C) The flawed peace treaty after World War I.

D) The emergence of totalitarian governments.

Correct Answer: B

The text mentions the Great Depression, the 'unsustainable peace settlement after World War I,' and the 'rise to power of fascist and totalitarian regimes.' The formation of the League of Nations, while related to the post-WWI era, is not mentioned in the provided text as a cause.

The text links the 'global economic crisis' that contributed to World War II with which specific historical event?

A) The Industrial Revolution.

B) The Great Depression.

C) The fall of the Ottoman Empire.

D) The Russian Revolution.

Correct Answer: B

The text explicitly states, '...the global economic crisis engendered by the Great Depression,' directly connecting the general crisis to this specific event.

The 'aggressive militarism of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler' is presented in the text as a direct result of which broader development?

A) The failure of the post-World War I peace settlement.

B) The continuation of imperialist goals by established powers.

C) The economic instability caused by the Great Depression.

D) The rise to power of fascist and totalitarian regimes.

Correct Answer: D

The text structures the sentence to show a causal link: '...the rise to power of fascist and totalitarian regimes that resulted in the aggressive militarism of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler.'

Based on the text, what characteristic of the post-World War I peace settlement contributed to the outbreak of World War II?

A) It was overly generous to the defeated powers.

B) It was unsustainable.

C) It successfully eliminated all imperialist aspirations.

D) It created a powerful international peacekeeping force.

Correct Answer: B

The text identifies 'the unsustainable peace settlement after World War I' as a key cause, implying its terms and structure were flawed and could not maintain long-term peace.

The text suggests that the causes of World War II were multifaceted, including which combination of factors?

A) Economic, political, and ideological.

B) Primarily military and technological.

C) Exclusively related to the actions of Adolf Hitler.

D) Solely the result of the Great Depression.

Correct Answer: A

The text lists several causes that fall into different categories: economic (Great Depression), political (unsustainable peace settlement, rise of totalitarian regimes), and ideological (imperialist aspirations, fascism). This combination points to a multifaceted origin.