Causes of World War IANIMAL

A-Alliances

• An agreement between nations to aid and protect one another, especially in case of an attack• Triple Alliance:

• Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy• Triple Entente:

• Russia, France, Great Britain

• Danger: Could drag more countries

into a small dispute

N-Nationalism

• Pride in one’s country• This led to feelings of mistrust across Europe

• Some ethic groups wanted to break

away and form their own countries,

especially in the Balkan Peninsula

(Serbia) and in Alsace-Lorraine

(between France and Germany)

I-Imperialism

• Powerful countries seeking to control the

economic and political affairs of weaker countries

or regions

• This led to competition between powerful nations

fighting over land in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific

M-Militarism

• Building up strong armed forces to prepare for war

• This led to feelings of skepticism and paranoia

• Germany and Britain built up their navies

A-Assassination

• June 28, 1914

• Victims: Archduke Franz

Ferdinand (heir to the throne

of the Austro-Hungarian

Empire) and his wife, Sophie

• Culprit: Gavrilo Princip,

member of the Serbian Terrorist

group, “Black Hand”

• Where: Bosnia

• Why: wanted independence from

the empire for his people

L-Leaders

• Political leaders of each country are responsible for their involvement in WWI

• May have wanted to increase

their empire, defend an ally, or

improve their powerful

reputations

Mapping

Allies

Central

Neutral

Great Britain

Germany

Russia

Switzerland Austria-Hungary

Ottoman Empire

France

Italy BulgariaSerbia

Romania

Greece

Spain

Portugal

Netherlands

Denmark

Major Countries in World War I

France• Allied Country

• President Raymond Poincare

• August 3, 1914

• Germany declared war on France, Russia’s ally, as revenge for Russia declaring war on Germany

• Russia and Great Britain=it’s allies

• 39.8 million=population

Great Britain• Allied Country

• King George V

• August 4, 1914

• Declared war on Germany because their troops marched through neutral Belgium, which Great Britain swore to protect

• France, Russia, Belgium=it’s allies

• 46 million=population

Major Countries in World War I

Austria-Hungary• Central Power

• Emperor Franz Joseph I

• July 28, 1914

• Declared war on Serbia because a Serbian terrorist group assassinated the Archduke and his wife, the heir’s to the throne

• Germany and Ottoman Empire=it’s allies

• 50.6 million=population

Switzerland• Neutral Country

• President Arthur Hoffman

• Not involved

• Not involved

• No allies because not involved in the war

• 3.9 million=population

Major Countries in World War I

Ottoman Empire• Central Power

• Sultan Mehmed V

• October 1914

• Protected it’s allies, Germany and Austria-Hungary, by declaring war on Russia

• Germany, Austria Hungary=it’s allies

• 23 million=population

Russia• Allied Country

• Czar Nicolas II

• July 29, 1914

• Declared war on Austria-Hungary to protect it’s ally, Serbia

• France, Great Britain, Serbia=it’s allies

• 173.2 million=population

Major Countries in World War I

Germany• Central Power

• Kaiser Wilhelm II

• August 1, 1914

• Declared war on Russia to protect it’s ally, Austria-Hungary

• Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empire=it’s allies

• 67 million=population

United States• Allied Country

• President Woodrow Wilson

• April 2, 1917

• Germany violated U.S. neutrality by attacking ships and developed a plan to attack the U.S. and claim the land (Zimmerman Note)

• No Allies

• 96.5 million=population