WWI Preview PowerPoint OBJECTIVES The student will :  Identify the long-term causes and immediate circumstances that led to World War I. 
  Explain why the United States entered the war. 
  Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole. 
  Determine and assess the consequences of World War I. 
  Evaluate various explanations for actions or events during World War I, and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence. 


Who was Involved ? Allies vs. Central Powers Allies: France, Russia, Great Britain, Italy, later the United States (1917). Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria. Ultimately over 60 nations will be involved In WWI.

What was Behind WWI? A struggle for power within Europe and the world. Old traditional powers wanted to hang onto power against new and emerging countries who wanted to become powers. Ethnic and regional rivalries also contributed to WWI. Competition between nations for resources, land, and military superiority also contributed to WWI.

When was WWI Fought? WWI was fought from 1914 to 1918. In June of 1914 the Archduke of the Austrian Empire, Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Bosnia by a Serbian terrorist, Gavrilo Princip a member of the Black Hand Society. Bosnia was controlled by Austria-Hungary, Austria- Hungary accused Serbia of trying to challenge their control over Bosnia. On July 28, 1914 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. On August 1, 1914 Countries around Europe declared war on each due to entangling alliances. The U.S. joins the war in April of 1917. On November 11, 1918 , Germany accepted a cease-fire and a truce was signed ending the fighting. June 28, 1919, the leaders of England, France, the United States and Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles.

Where Was WWI Fought? The war was primarily fought in two areas. The Western Front: The area along the border of Germany and France. The front extends into the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. U.S. troops fight on the Western Front. The Eastern Front: The area along the border of of Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary, extending into the Ottoman Empire. The fighting is conducted from a series of elaborate trenches on both fronts.

Why was WWI Fought? Causes: militarism, nationalism, imperialism, alliance system. Militarism: Countries built up their militaries and used them as a tool of diplomacy. Nationalism: A devotion to the interests and cultures of your country. Imperialism: The competition amongst European countries for colonies and resources increased tensions. Alliance System: In the early 1900’s countries aligned themselves with other countries for protection. Once one declared war, the other’s were ragged in as well.

How was World War I Fought? The war was fought from a series of elaborate trenches. Life for the soldiers in the trenches was brutal. There was a constant fear of death and filthy conditions. There were three kids of trenches, front line, support and reserve, soldiers spent time in all three. Both sides trenches were separated by “no mans land”, a barren area with barbed wire, dead bodies, and artillery shell craters. The soldiers would go over the top of their trenches and charge across no man’s land hoping to reach the enemies trenches. The war witnessed the use of the machine guns, airplanes, tanks, poison gas and submarines or U-Boats.