1. WORLD WAR 1: The Great War Cause and Effects

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
SS.912.A.4.5 Examine causes, course, and consequences of United States involvement in World War I.
SS.912.A.4.6 Examine how the United States government prepared the nation for war with war measures (Selective Service Act, War Industries Board, war bonds, Espionage Act, Sedition Act, Committee of Public Information).
SS.912.A.4.7 Examine the impact of airplanes, battleships, new weaponry and chemical warfare in creating new war strategies (trench warfare, convoys).
SS.912.A.4.10 Examine the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles and the failure of the United States to support the League of Nations.

3. Overview of World War I
Taken from

4. World War I Main causes of WWI: Nationalism Imperialism Militarism
Creation of the Alliance System
An assassination leads to War

5. World War I Nationalism
One nation is viewed as separate and believed the way they did things was the best and right way
Need to gain control of world resources

6. World War I Imperialism
Power countries (Britain, France, Portugal, Italy and Germany) wanted to have colonies all over the world
Most of Asia and Africa was controlled by European countries
Built powerful Navies, monopolized trade, holdings in China, India, and Africa
Believed that through imperialism they were improving the lives of the colonists
Conflicts over who should control territories began

7. World War I
Militarism
When a nations military takes over the countries government, becoming the leaders.
Germany began challenging other European nations to become a world power
Grew their military and naval strength
Nations began competing against each other

8. World War I Creation of the Alliance System
Countries signed treaties in which all who signed stated they would help the other country.
The Triple Entente became the Allied Powers (France, Britain, Russia)
The Triple Alliance became the Central Power (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy)

9. World War I An assassination leads to War
June 1914 Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife are assassinated in Sarajevo and Serbia is blamed
This starts tensions building in Europe

12. Why did America declare War?
Sinking of the Lusitania
Threats by Germany
Stronger economic ties with Britain and France

13. Why did America declare War?
The Lusitania was torpedoed by the Germans
The ship sank in 18 minutes and 1,198 drowned
128 of the passengers were Americans

14. Why did America declare War?
Threats by Germany
Germany had made the Sussex Pledge (they would not attack passenger ships and let merchant vessels abandon ship prior to an attack)
Germany broke the pledge and continued to attack passenger and merchant ships

15. Why did America declare War?
Stronger economic ties with Britain and France
Zimmerman Telegram-a coded message that Britain intercepted which stated that Germany was proposing and alliance with Mexico
Sinking of the Lusitania

16. America Joins Allies in World War I
US Congress declares war April 6, 1917

17. Impact of War in America
At home the War Industries Board was created to coordinate supplies needed to fight the war
Americans were asked to conserve resources for the troops
Liberty Bonds were sold to help cover the cost of the war
Espionage and Sedition made it illegal to speak against the war
Women and African Americans took active roles in the War and on the home front

18. World War 1 Ends

19. World War 1 Ends 14 Point Plan
President Wilson outlined his plan for peace in a speech to congress
The points he made were ideas that the Allied Nations also supported and these were used as part of the terms for ending the war
Source

20. Treaty of Versailles
“The Big Four” were Allied leaders from France, Italy, America and Great Britain who meet in January to begin planning for a peace treaty
Treaty of Versailles June 28, 1919
This was the peace treaty that ended the war between Germany and the Allied Powers
It created new nations and forced Germany to pay for damages of the war (reparations)

21. Effects of World War I
New weapons killed soldiers and civilians on a massive scale (machine guns, tank, airplane, and poisonous gas)

22. Impact On People, Homes, and Industry
Source

23. Effects of World War I Bloodiest war in history up to that time
Deaths could have been up to 22 million people (half civilians)
Americans lost about 48,000 men in battle; 62,000 dying from disease; 200,000 wounded

24. Effects of World War I Economic costs- $338 billion
New nations were created
Germany had to “pay” and take “responsibility” for starting the war

25. Russian Government is Overthrown
Effects of World War I
Russian Government is Overthrown
The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk is signed between Russia and the Central Powers
Russia withdrew from the war and surrendered Poland, the Ukraine and other territory
The Bolsheviks take over outing Tzar Nicolas and bring communism in

26. Additional Resources
Crash Course for WWI, video 13 minutes
Reading Like a Historian, Entering WWI, primary source documents to help analyze why the US declared war
Video The Origins of World War I part 1-7 minutes –uses black and white footage and walks you through the events leading to the war
Video The Origins of World War I part 2- 7 minutes continuation of part 1
3 minute video, The Outbreak of WWI, using maps shows what countries were involved in the conflict and gives brief explanation of why
an interactive time line of the war
Song “Over There”
One page summaries of parts of the war and comes with an activity, video and quiz