M.A.I.N. CAUSES OF WWI
Long Term & Short Term Causes Long Term Cause: happened a long time before the event; lasting impact/influence/consequences Short Term Cause: happened immediately before the event; usually considered the “triggers” World War I was an event created by a combination of both long term (ie. arms race) and short term causes (ie. the assassination in Sarajevo)
M.A.I.N. Causes Militarism Alliances Imperialism Nationalism
Militarism Belief in peace through superior fire power Strong Military = deterrent “Arms Race”
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.
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. Think colonies!
Nationalism Extreme Pride and fanatical patriotism Most Ethnic Groups wanted to be their own country Balkans=Powder Keg In terms of WWI, nationalism became aggressive and subsequently (because of this) a major cause of international tension.
Think about this question Assassination On June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip ,a Serbian, assassinated Archduke Francis Ferdinand heir to the Austria Hungarian Throne Think about this question How was this one event so important to the beginning of World War I?