The League of Nations in the 1920s: Part 1 – The Theory

Worksheet to accompany the game at www.activehistory.co.uk

1. Structure - Voting Procedure

What is the difference between majority voting and unanimous voting?

When did the League require unanimous voting? (key word: policy)

What was the difference between the Assembly and the Council?

Was unanimous voting a strength or a weakness for the League? Explain your answer.
TIP: Consider both sides as well as express your own view by adopting an “Although….Nevertheless…”
approach.

2. Structure - Army
What were the three steps that the League could take against an aggressor?

Why did the League not have its own permanent army?
3. Membership - Britain / France
How and why did the Council nevertheless ensure that Britain and France were more powerful than
smaller nations?

4. Membership - Germany / USSR / USA

Why did the following countries not join the league when it was formed?

Germany:

USSR:

USA:

Why were Britain and France not keen to lead the League?

5. Disarmament - Theory
What did Wilson's 14 Points say about disarmament?

The League’s covenant committed its members to pursue world disarmament. Copy down a
quote from Article 8 here:

Why did some people think that this was a bad idea?
Using the information in this worksheet, you could now produce a one-sided diagram in a
format of your choice entitled “The Strengths and Weaknesses of the League”.
Extension Task: Key Words
Throughout the game, keywords are highlighted in red.
Produce a list of these keywords, with definitions, for revision purposes.

Word/Term Definition