1. Essential Question:
What caused World War I and why was the United States unable to remain neutral in this conflict?

2. From 1914 to 1919, World War I erupted in Europe
This “Great War” began as a result of competition over imperial territories…
…the build up of powerful, industrial militaries

3. European rivalries led to two military alliances that threatened to draw European nations into war
England, France, Russia formed the Triple Entente
Austria-Hungary, Italy, Germany formed the Triple Alliance

4. Pre-War Alliance Network

5. Rivalries due to militarism and imperialism increased nationalism among European powers
British propaganda poster, 1897
Austrian national poster, 1900

6. In 1914, Serbian terrorists assassinated Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand which triggered the start of World War I
Nowhere was that dispute more likely to occur than on the Balkan Peninsula. This mountainous peninsula in the southeastern corner of Europe was home to an assortment of ethnic groups. With a long history of nationalist uprisings and ethnic clashes, the Balkans was known as the “powder keg” of Europe.
By the early 1900s, the Ottoman Empire, which included the Balkan region, was in rapid decline. While some Balkan groups struggled to free themselves from the Ottoman Turks, others already had succeeded in breaking away from their Turkish rulers. These peoples had formed new nations, including Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia.
Nationalism was a powerful force in these countries. Each group longed to extend its borders. Serbia, for example, had a large Slavic population. It hoped to absorb all the Slavs on the Balkan Peninsula. Russia, itself a mostly Slavic nation, supported Serbian nationalism. However, Serbia’s powerful northern neighbor, Austria-Hungary, opposed such an effort. Austria feared that efforts to create a Slavic state would stir rebellion among its Slavic population.
In 1908, Austria annexed, or took over, Bosnia and Herzegovina. These were two Balkan areas with large Slavic populations. Serbian leaders, who had sought to rule these provinces, were outraged. In the years that followed, tensions between Serbia and Austria steadily rose. The Serbs continually vowed to take Bosnia and Herzegovina away from Austria. In response, Austria-Hungary vowed to crush any Serbian effort to undermine its authority in the Balkans
Nationalism was strong in the Balkans, where Serbia hoped to unite with Austrian Slavs

7. Germany and Austria-Hungary were joined by Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire to form the Central Powers
England, France, and Russia became the Allied Powers and eventually were joined by…

8. …many nations throughout the world, including the United States

9. The outbreak of WWI in 1914 was a test for America’s new foreign policy
By 1914, the USA was a world power with overseas territories and influence in Latin America and Asia
But Americans wanted to remain neutral and avoid involvement in Europe’s “Great War”

10. “The people of the United States are drawn from many nations, and chiefly from the nations now at war. It is natural and inevitable that there should be sympathy with regard to the circumstances of the conflict…
Every man who really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of neutrality…The United States must be neutral in fact, as well as in name, during these days that are to try men's souls.” —Woodrow Wilson, 1914

11. Despite efforts by President Woodrow Wilson to remain neutral, the United States joined World War I
Americans were outraged by German violations of U.S. neutrality and free trade
Americans were outraged by German unrestricted submarine warfare and attacks on passenger ships like the Lusitania
Americans were outraged by the Zimmerman Telegram in which Germany offered to return the Mexican Cession if Mexico went to war with the U.S.

12. The USA remained neutral from 1914 to 1917, but in April 1917 Congress declared war on the Central Powers
President Woodrow Wilson promised to “make the world safe for democracy”

13. Closure Activity: Which other war that America became involved in does World War I compare to?
Brainstorm the wars that the United States became involved with from 1775 to Think about the reasons the USA entered those wars. Which one is most similar to why the USA entered World War I?
American Wars
Reason the USA entered the war
American Revolution ( )
War of 1812 ( )
Mexican-American War ( )
Civil War ( )
Spanish-American War (1898)
Filipino-American War ( )
Have students categorize primary sources and determine why the USA entered WWI: