The Long-Term Causes of WWIBishop Challoner Catholic College

The Causes of WWI

• Name two key events in the Civil Rights Movement and explain what happened in each.

The Causes of WWI

• Why was the First World War different from other previous wars?

Militarism• Includes the word ‘military’, meaning to expand or improve the army

(better equipment, more money etc.)

Country Army in 1900 Army in 1914

FranceBritainRussia

Austria-HungaryGermanyItaly

0.7 million0.61.1

0.250.50.25

0.9 million0.50.8

0.351.50.35

Questions – answer in full sentences

• Which country increased its army most? Give details.

• Which countries reduced the size of their armies?

HMS Dreadnought and the Naval Race

Questions – answer in full sentences please• Which countries took part in the naval race?

• Why did the naval race start?

• Which country won the naval race?

Empire

HMS Dreadnought

obsolete

Alliances

Questions

• Which countries were in the Triple Entente?

• Which countries were in the Triple Alliance?

• Which smaller country was also connected to the alliance systems? Why?

• What was the effect of these alliances?

Imperialism• The desire to

expand your country’s empire and take over colonies.

Questions• Where were the European powers trying to expand

their empires?

• Why were they trying to expand their empires?

• Which country was late to start its empire?

• Which empire was declining in power, and what opportunity did this create?

The Balkans

Ottoman

Imperialism

Scramble for Africa

Nationalism

• An intense pride for one’s country and its superiority over other countries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfO7TduevHA

Recap

What do the following letters stand for? (all causes of WWI)

M -

A -

I -

N -

Which was the most important cause of WWI?

• Remember that you need to explain why you think that.

• Extension: try to knock down opposing arguments in favour of other causes.

• If you think it was a combination of things, which do you think was most important, and why? No fence-sitting here!