Causes of WWI

Monday, Oct. 3
DO NOW Today's Agenda
 Brainstorm why do wars start 1. DO NOW –Why do war start
2. Causes of WW1 Notes
3. World War 1 Map and Weapon Packet

Today's Objective
SWBAT explain the causes of World War 1
Causes of WWI - MANIA
Militarism
Alliances
Nationalism
Imperialism
Assassination
Militarism
 When a nation’s armed forces come to dominate a
country’s national policy
 It is also a glorification of the military and war itself

1910-1914 Increase in Defense

Expenditures
France 10%
Britain 13%
Russia 39%
Germany 73%
Alliances
 Signed treaties in which each nation
involved pledges to defend the other if
attacked by an aggressor
 Basically, countries agreed to help each
other
Alliances
Triple Entente: Triple Alliance:
Great Britain Germany

France Austria-Hungary

Russia Italy
Nationalism
 Pride and patriotism in one’s nation
 In terms of WWI, nationalism became
aggressive and subsequently (because of
this) a major cause of international tension
 Independent nations desired dominance and
prestige and as these powers tried to
dominate each other in Europe, their
rivalries may be regarded as one of the
causes of the First World War
Imperialism
 Domination by one country over the
political, economic, or cultural life of
another country or region
 Due to the Industrial Revolution of the
1800s, some European nations had a large
portion of the world under their control
Imperialism and Colonial Rivalries
 After1870, the European nations began to acquire
colonies in Asia, Africa and the Pacific
 Colonial rivalry led to:
 strained relations among the European powers. In Africa,
all the European powers except Austria and Russia had
colonies there. Thus there were many clashes among
France, Britain, Germany and Italy.
 the formation and strengthening of alliances and ententes.
(indirectly)
 an intensification of the arms race.
 much hostility among the powers.
Assassination
 The “spark” that started WWI
 On June 28, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the
Austria Hungarian Throne was assassinated by Gavrilo
Princip, a Serbian nationalist who believed that Bosnia
should belong to Serbia
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Duchess Sophie at
Sarajevo, Bosnia, on June 28, 1914
 Gavrilo Princip after his
assassination of
Austrian Archduke
Franz Ferdinand
The Point of No Return
 Austria blamed Serbia for Ferdinand’s death and declared war on Serbia.

 Germany pledged their support for Austria -Hungary.

 Russia pledged their support for Serbia.

 Germany declares war on Russia

 France pledges their support for Russia

 Germany declares war on France

 Germany invades Belgium on the way to France

 Great Britain supports Belgium and declares war on Germany

Allied Powers: Central Powers:
Great Britain Germany

France Austria-Hungary
World
World War
War II

Russia Ottoman Empire

Italy
Sources

 http://www.thecorner.org/hist/wwi/colonial
.htm
 http://www.mrberlin.com/8th/WWI/World
_War_I_causes.ppt
 http://www.msroachesplace.com/causes1.p
pt