The U.S. and Ecuador FRQ
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a) In what ways, and for what reasons, did Canada and one country of Latin America participate in the First World War? Cause
b) Discuss the reasons for, or against, the participation of one Latin American country in the First World War. Cause
c) Compare and contrast the impact of the First World War on the United States and one country in Latin American. Consequence
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1) _____Thesis – 1st paragraph (4 pts)
a) _____Supporting Argument #1 (4 pts)
b) _____Supporting Argument #2 (4 pts)
2) _____Supporting Argument #1 – 2nd paragraph (4 pts)
a) _____ Describe/Explain Historical Thinking Skill. (4 pts)
b) _____ Elaborate about the time period and/or argument. (4 pts)
c) _____Names OR Events OR Vocabulary AND why they are important. (4 pts)
d) _____Names OR Events OR Vocabulary AND why they are important. (4 pts)
e) _____Names OR Events OR Vocabulary AND why they are important. (4 pts)
f) _____Historical Accuracy (are your historical facts correct) (4 pts)
g) _____The Argument answers the question (4 pts)
3) _____Supporting Argument #2 – 3rd paragraph (4 pts)
a) _____ Describe/Explain Historical Thinking Skill. (4 pts)
b) _____ Elaborate about the time period and/or argument. (4 pts)
c) _____Names OR Events OR Vocabulary AND why they are important. (4 pts)
d) _____Names OR Events OR Vocabulary AND why they are important. (4 pts)
e) _____Names OR Events OR Vocabulary AND why they are important. (4 pts)
f) _____Historical Accuracy (are your historical facts correct) (4 pts)
g) _____The Argument answers the question (4 pts)
4) _____Contextualization (Summarize the time period) – 4th paragraph (4 pts)
a) _____ What was occurring? (4 pts)
b) _____ Where were the events occurring at? (4 pts)
c) _____ Why were these events occurring? (4 pts)
d) _____ How were these events occurring? (4 pts)
e) _____ Who was involved and in what ways? (4 pts)
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Date of writing: 9/25/2025
Time limit: 45 minutes
Preparation time: 2 days
Chosen prompt: Compare and contrast the impact of the First World War on the United States and one country in Latin American. Consequence
Word count: 882
Grade: 96%
The impact of the First World War is a matter of subjectivity for the United States and Ecuador; however, when it comes to the consequences of the war on both countries, similarities and differences are clear. Ecuador and the United States had relatviely identical results following the war in terms of economy quality, social structuring, and political reform, illustrated by the events such as the United States' Great Migration and Ecuador's cutting of German relations. On the other hand, disparities between one another's military involvement during World War I, global post-war influence, and economic dependency became visible, prevelant, differing objectivities.
By setting both the United States and Ecuador in the broader realm of World War I, similarities are apparent. It should be noted that the social reform that occurred during this time had significant long-term consequences for both nations in the form of social- --primarily labor-related---reform and a push for workforce condition improvement. To better understand Ecuador's political and social state as it evolved throughout the wake and conclusion of World War I, Ecuador's then president and leader, Alfred Baquerizo Moreno, cut ties with Germany due to overwhelming United States Influence. In terms of economic well-being, the United States and Ecuador found themselves in similar predicaments; both experienced economic booms during the war. This "boom" for the United States was a result of industry production hitting highs while agricultural trade, and their markets in general, grew enormously as it diversified and became more intertwined with international affairs. Ecuador's boom, however, was a result of skyrocketing cacao prices which originated from the trade interruption in Europe due to the war. Additionally, both nations also saw widespread social---again, primraily labor-related---reform occuring via protests, strikes, and national movements. This is seen in the United States' Great Migration, an event in which primarily african americans came into the United States between the years 1916 and 1920. This vast mobilization of population, also present in Ecuador but involving Ecuadorian workers, resulted in aligning and uprising ideologies, eventually expressed in strikes against working conditions and pay. Furthermore, political action, such as Moreno's relation cutting with Germany, was a signal of increased government involvement. For the United States, this came in the form of the Espionage and Sedition Acts---government actions that effectively silences anti-war sentiment---and Woodrow Wilson's Moral Diplomacy, a foreign policy promoting ethical governance over military dominance.
While comparisons between Ecuador and the United States are undoubtedly present on a surface-level look, differences are visible upon analyzing the economic, social, and political aftermath of World War I. Stating that Ecuador had little influence on World War I would be an understatement; this lack of influence placed Ecuador in the hidden stage of world affairs, essentially making the nation's climb to self-sufficiency and complete prosperity a difficult task in the long-term. At this point in time, Ecuador's economy, compared to the United States', was suffering significantly more due to a lack of wealth to distribute and less money flowing through their markets. In terms of military involvement in World War I, Ecuador barely had a role to play, acting more as a symbolic support of the United States rather than a literal, helpful force. Nevertheless, the United States was a polar opposite; the nation mobilized millions of troops, fought alongside the Allies in the Europe, and actively supplied numerous nations with economic and military resources. In addition to United States' war effort aid, the nation also had a proliferating international influence after the war, making its debut as a global actor on the world stage. The same cannot be said about Ecuador, in which--- due to a lack of significance in the war effort and world affairs---had a small trade apparatus and sphere of influence. Similarly, the nation of Ecuador sufference immensely following the war because the plummetting cacao prices. Resuming trade meant that cacao no longer held the value it used to, straining Ecuador's market of finance. For the United States, a larger market due to the war facilitated growth and rapid industry development, evolving into a more robust, self-sufficient, and self-governing body.
The evolution of Ecuador and the United States cannot be holistically understood without setting the nations within the broader context of World War I. During this period of time, the most notable events relating these two countries involved the Great Migration of 1916 to 1920, Woodrow Wilson's Moral Diplomacy, and Ecuador's absurd cacao price rise and fall. While the events of the First World War largely occured in North America and Europe, the mentioned events also unfolded in Ecuador and countless other Latin American coutnries. Due to the push of foreign policies onto Latin American countries and the widespread distribution of imperialistic and internationlist ideologies, events like Ecuador's economic, political, and social suffering occured. Unraveling in the form of mass population mobilization, sporadic economic changes, and invasive government interventions, the impacts of the First World War on the United States and Ecuador came as such: benefits with drawbacks. In the end, international figures such as Woodrow Wilson and Alfred Baquerizo Moreno were involved alongside their respective governing bodies, shaping the outcomes of not only their own nations, but of the world as a whole.
