Which act established the draft for World War I?

• A. Conscription Act
• B. Selective Service Act
• C. Draft Act
• D. Militia Act

Answer: (B)

The essential idea is that World War I required a large army quickly, so the United States enacted a formal system of conscription through the Selective Service Act of 1917. This law authorized the registration of men aged roughly 18 to 45 and established a lottery to determine who would be drafted into military service, enabling a rapid buildup for combat in Europe.

The Militia Act of 1903 reorganized state militias into the National Guard and increased federal oversight, but it did not create the nationwide draft for WWI. The other names listed aren’t the official title of the WWI conscription law, and there wasn’t a separate act commonly known as a “Draft Act” for this purpose.