1.We will be able to describe some key interactions between different communities in Canada, and between Canada and the international community and explain their effects.

1.We will explain the cause and consequences of these key interactions.

1.We will identify some of the causes of World War I and explain some of the consequences of Canada’s military participation in the war

What started The Great War?

- As part of the British Empire, Canada was automatically at war with Germany and the “Central Powers.” Only the nation’s level of participation was to be determined by the Canadian government. When the war began, many Canadians civilians had been born in Britain or were of British decent.

- Loyalty to the King and Empire was widespread in Canada. The romantic idea of adventures at war was a main reason that brought men in droves to the recruitment offices. Furthermore, Canada’s economy was still closely tied to Britain’s. A healthy and secure British Empire was critical to Canada’s future economic success.

Noun - 1. a strong military spirit or policy. 2. the principle or policy of maintaining a large military establishment. 3. the tendency to regard military efficiency as the supreme ideal of the state and to subordinate all other interests to those of the military.

For Britain and Germany, militarism began when these two nations spent millions of dollars to build up their armies and navies and to equip them with the latest weapons of war. At the turn of the century Germany boasted the largest land army in the world, while Britain ruled the waves with their massive navy.

In 1906 a new form of warship was created dubbed the “Dreadnought.” By 1908, Germany was challenging Britain’s naval supremacy by mass producing these massive warships. By 1914, Germany had built 17 warships and 7 Dreadnoughts and Britain boasted a fleet of 27 Dreadnoughts.

Noun - 1. the act of allying or state of being allied. 2. a formal agreement or treaty between two or more nations to cooperate for specific purposes.

For protection, many of the smaller countries created alliances with the European super powers. The two major Alliances were The Triple Entente: France, Great Britain, Russia and Serbia The Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, The Ottoman Empire and Italy These treaties and alliances were intended to keep peace in Europe. War with any nation meant war with the entire alliance. This was supposed to deter aggressive nations.

Noun - 1. national spirit or aspirations. 2. devotion and loyalty to one's own nation; patriotism. 3. excessive patriotism; chauvinism. 4. the desire for national advancement or independence.

Nationalism goes hand in hand with militarism and imperialism. In the 200 years leading up to 1914, many European countries went through revolutions which created nation states based on similar ethnic make-ups. Ruling over vast colonies and being able to field the largest armies was fuelled by this sense of extreme nationalism.

Noun - 1. the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies. 2. advocacy of imperial interests. 3. an imperial system of government.

Imperialism was usually driven by economic opportunities. They used their colonies to secure raw materials and also used them to sell their manufactured goods to the population. Britain had the largest Empire at the dawn of WWI.

Germany had just come on to the scene as a super power and wanted to expand their empire. However, very little remained since the other European countries owned much of the world. Germany looked to the Middle East and Africa to expand their Empire. Britain and France, who owned much of Africa, felt threatened by Germany’s aggressiveness.

On Sunday June the 28, the archduke of Austria, Francis Ferdinand, the heir to the Austria-Hungary throne, was assassinated in a motorcade touring in Sarajevo. Seven Serbian terrorists from a group called the Black Hand were responsible for the assassination. Their triggerman was a 19 year old Serbian named Gavrillo Princip.

Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the assassination and declared war on the small Slavic nation. As an ally and Slavic nation its self, Russia declared war on Austria- Hungary. Since Austria-Hungary was allied with Germany, they joined in. This domino effect plunged Europe into a war that would change the face of the earth.