Warm-up

Why might you form an alliance?

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of alliances?

Your response needs to be 2-4 sentences long for each question.

MANIA

and

THE SPARK

The Causes of World War 1

1. Militarism

• What is militarism?

Significantly increasing the size of

military forces.

• How could militarism contribute to the start

of a war??

Military Budget Increases1910-1914 Increase in Defense Expenditures

France 10%

Britain 13%

Russia 39%

Germany 73%

Causes of WWI: Militarism

• Britain had a great Navy, so Germany

wanted one too.

• France & Germany’s armies doubled in

size between 1870-1915.

• Competed for larger armies.

Total Defense Spending for the Great Powers in millions of $. 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1914

94 130 154 268 289 398

Causes of WWI

2. Alliances

• What is the definition of an alliance?

Formal agreements among nations to

cooperate & provide for their mutual

defense.

• How could the formation of alliances

contribute to the start of the war?

Causes of WWI: Alliances

• For over 20 years alliances were forming in

Europe.

• Alliances were thought to be positive, to

promote peace in terms of crisis, not war.

• Risk regarding alliance: disagreement

between two countries could make other

nations fight.

• This happened to Austria-Hungary &

Serbia, leading to WWI.

Europe 1914

The Alliance System

Triple Entente: Triple Alliance:

GREAT

BRITAIN

FRANCE

RUSSIA

GERMANY

AUSTRIA-

HUNGARY

ITALY

The Major Players: 1914-17

Nicholas II [Russia]

George V [Britain]

Pres. Poincare [France]

Allied Powers:

Emperor Franz Joseph

[Austro-Hungary]

Kaiser Wilhelm II [Germany]

Victor Emmanuel II [Italy]

Central Powers:

Enver Pasha [Turkey]

Causes of WWI

3. Nationalism

• What is nationalism?

Devotion to one’s country.

• How could nationalism contribute to

the start of a war?

Causes of WWI: Nationalism

• Led European nations to compete for

the greatest & largest Army & Navy.

• Led European nations to compete for

the greatest industrial development.

• Separate states desired to form

independent nations.

• Unification of Italy-1870.

• Unification of Germany-1871.

Pan-Slavism: The Balkans, 1914

The“Powder Keg”of Europe

Austria

Russia

Ottomans

EMPIRES

Causes of WWI

4. Imperialism

• What is the definition

of Imperialism?

One nation, usually

larger, taking over

another country,

politically,

economically, and

culturally.

• How could Imperialism

contribute to the start of

WWI?

Economic & Imperial Rivalries• European nations ruled other countries.

(Different colonies around the world)

• Nations competed with each other to gain more colonies.

• France & Britainacquired many colonies in Africa and Asia.

• Germany & Italywanted colonial empires too.

Assassination

Archduke Franz Ferdinand & His Family

THE POWDERKEG EXPLODES• Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary struggles to maintain control over the Balkans.

• Sends the heir to the Austrian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand to Sarajevo (capital of Bosnia) for a military exercise.

• Serbian nationalist group, the Black Hand, plots action against Ferdinand.

THE SHOT HEARD ROUND THE WORLD!

The Man who Killed Millions

GavriloPrincip

Austria-Hungary blames Serbia for Assassination and demands a response.

Serbia refuses and Austria-Hungary declares war on July 28, 1914

Russia (Serbian Allie and Slavic nation) mobilizes and Germany, Allie of Austria-Hungary, declares war on Russia.

Germany declares war on France, a Serbian and Russian Allie.

Germany invades Belgium to get into France Pulls Great

Britain into war, but not right away.

ENTANGLING ALLIANCES

PUT

YOUR

NOTES

AWAY!

And now….

In order to exit the room you must write the acronym of the 4 causes of WWI and list what the letters stand for.

Next, answer the following question: Which of the 4 causes do you think is the most significant and why?

Use the index card provided and turn in to Mr. Soter

Be sure to put your name and class period on it.

EXIT TICKET