1. The 4 MAIN! Causes of The Great War
Unit 6 – World War I (1914 – 1920)
The 4 MAIN! Causes of
The Great War

2. Europe During WW I (P. 284) Which nations were the Allies?
Which nations were the Central Powers?
Which nation has the greatest geographical advantage?
Which nation has the greatest geographical disadvantage?
Where did most of the fighting occur?
Allies

3. M.A.I.N. Causes of World War I
Define each term (use the dictionary or your glossary)
What does it look like? In other words tell how each term/ practice could cause 2 or more countries to go to war today.
Militarism
Alliances
Imperialism
Nationalism

4. Exit Slip – Causes of WW I
Militarism-
Alliances-
Imperialism-
Nationalism-
An association of nations pledged to defend one another
Policy of building an empire; adding colonies
Pride in one’s country; patriotism
An aggressive state of military preparedness

5. Militarism
A state of extreme, aggressive military preparedness; a nationalistic glorification of the military. Often results in an arms race between nations. My weapons are better than yours!

6. Alliances
A close association of nations acting together for a common object such as for defense in case of an attack by an enemy.
Russia
Great
Britain
Germany
France
Austria- Hungary
Italy

7. World War I Alliances Central Powers Allied Powers Germany
Austria-Hungary
Ottoman Empire
Bulgaria
Allied Powers
Great Britain
France
Belgium
Russia
Serbia
Greece
Italy (1915)
U.S.A. (1917)

8. Imperialism
The policy of forming and maintaining an empire, as by establishing colonies and/or dominating the affairs of weaker nations.
It is intense and highly competitive!

9. Nationalism
A devotion to one’s nation; having pride in your nation or heritage. Can become dangerous when it is coupled with extremism & militarism. i.e. an “I’m better than you” attitude.

10. The Powder Keg Explodes
Bosnia & Serbia (S.E. Europe) were annexed by Austria-Hungary in 1913.
The Balkan Peninsula had long been considered the “Powder Keg” of Europe.
Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife Sophie traveled to Sarajevo, Bosnia to try to calm tensions and reassure the people of Bosnia.

11. Assassination! June 28, 1914
The Black Hand (a Serbian Nationalist Group) planned to kill the Archduke.
Gavrilo Princip fired the deadly shots.
July 28, 1914, A-H declared war on Serbia and the Alliance System broke down.

12. The Conflict Widens
Germany was prepared! It had a first strike strategy called the Schlieffen Plan that called for a quick sweep into France to take it out of the war.
Because Germany had to go through neutral Belgium, it drew Great Britain into the war on the side of the Allies.
By late 1914, the Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers and Italy joined the Allies in 1915.

13. Stalemate!
Germany’s advance on Paris was stopped 30 miles short and both sides dug in for the long haul.
Trench Warfare – 450 miles of trenches across the Western Front.
1000s were slaughtered as they attacked and counter attacked across no man’s land.
Germany & Austria had great success against Russia on the Eastern Front however.