Causes of World War I

by Alice Lim
 Nationalism
• Strong feeling of pride or loyalty to a country
• Countries (especially Great Powers) had affectionate
pride for their prospering nation
• It led them to competing amongst themselves so they
can prove their power and that they’re better than
everyone else
• Pan-Slavism – movement that all Slavs should be
united (Russia supported this so they aided Serbia)
• Nationalism led to the assassination of Archduke
Ferdinand (by a Serbian nationalist)
 Alliances
• An agreements between 2 or more parties that work
together for their own benefits
• The formation of alliances led to countries being wary and
cautious of each other
• Some felt threatened by the amount of power others had
so they also formed alliances
• Alliances: Russia & Serbia, Germany & Austria-Hungary,
France & Russia, Britain & France, Japan & Britain
• During WWI, the Central Powers were made up of
Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman empire
while the Allies were Britain, France, Russia/U.S.
 Militarism
• An idea that a country should keep a strong military
and be ready to use it aggressively when necessary
• competition among countries’ military was fierce
• arms race- competition in warfare for the best forces
• The arms “race” really started during the Cold War
between U.S. and Russia (after WWII)
• Austria-Hungary knew they had a better military
than Serbia, so they used the assassination as an
excuse to declare war
 Imperialism
• Is the control of less powerful countries by more
powerful countries
• Colonization – to colonize another area (was another
form of imperialism)
• Countries competed for land to expand their territory
and power
• They also need the land for raw materials (Ex: coal,
iron, oil, etc.)
• Ex: Africa (and parts of Asia like China or India)
were targeted by the Great European powers
 Murder of Archduke Ferdinand
& the Declarance of War
• Archduke Franz Ferdinand was heir to the Austro-Hungarian
throne
• Murdered by Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip, from the
Black Hand Society
• Austria-Hungary was furious at Serbia and used the
assassination to declare war on the Serbians
• The murder was the final act the pushed the World into war
• Austria-Hungary declared was on Serbia, Russia declared was
on Austria-Hungary, Germany declared war on Russia, France
& Britain declared war on Germany, (later U.S. declared war
on Germany)
 Bibliography
http://www.historyonthenet.com/ww1/causes.ht
m

http://americanhistory.about.com/od/worldwari/t
p/causes-of-world-war-1.htm