Transcript How did World War I begin?

How did World War I begin?
Militarism
Alliances
Imperialism
Nationalism
• Assassination of Archduke Franz
Ferdinand
• Sinking of the Lusitania
• Zimmerman Note
The MAIN Causes
 MILITARISM- aggressive build up of
armed forces, as preparation for war
 ALLIANCE SYSTEM- countries agreed to
defend each other if attacked
 IMPERIALISM- caused competition for
new markets and colonies in Africa,
Asia, and the Pacific
 NATIONALISM- having pride in your
country, willing to defend your nation
Alliances to know:
Central Powers (formerly Triple Alliance)
Germany
Austria-Hungary
Ottoman Empire
Bulgaria
Triple Entente (later known as the Allies)
Great Britain
France
Russia
United States
Italy
Assassination of Archduke Franz
Ferdinand
 June 1914- The Archduke, heir to the Austrian
throne, was visiting Bosnian capital of
Sarajevo
 Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip shoots and
kills Ferdinand and wife Sophia
 Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
 How did this lead to WWI?
 Which of the MAIN causes apply?
Sinking of the Lusitania
 May 7, 1915
 British liner Lusitania sank by German U-boat
(Unterseeboot) aka submarine
 1,198 die, 128 Americans among the dead
 US public angry, turns against Germany
 Germany defends sinking Lusitania; said ship was
carrying ammunition
 Germany continues unrestricted submarine warfare
 How long before US declares war on Germany? Some
historians ask, “Is the sinking of the Lusitania really a
cause?”
Zimmermann Note
 A German telegram sent to German
ambassador in Mexico and intercepted by
British agents
 Telegram proposed an alliance between
Mexico and Germany
 Promised that if war w/ US broke out;
Germany would support Mexico
 Mexico would get back “lost” territory in TX,
New Mexico, and Arizona as a reward