CAUSES OF THE GREAT WAR Unit World War

CAUSES OF THE “GREAT WAR” Unit: World War I Ms. Moran SWBAT:

Imperialism • Imperialism The amount of lands 'owned' by _______and ______ increased the rivalry with _________who had entered the scramble to acquire colonies late and only had small areas of Africa.

Militarism • the _________is the main focus of society. • The growing European divide The armies of both France and Germany had more than doubled between 1870 and 1914. • competition between Britain and Germany for mastery of the seas, • The German military leader, Von Schlieffen, also drew up a plan attacking France through Belgium if Russia made an attack on Germany, causing Germany to be quick to act.

Nationalism • The settlement at the end of the Franco-Prussian war left France angry at the loss of land to Germany • Large areas of both Austria-Hungary and Serbia were home to differing nationalist groups referred to as Pan-Slavism. • Balkans region wanted self-rule • unrest over Austrian rule, earned the Balkans the nickname “the Balkan _______”.

Alliance • agreement made between two or more countries to give each other help if it is needed. • A number of alliances had been signed by countries leading up the start of the First World War in 1914. • many of the royal houses of Europe were linked by blood and marriage. • In addition, potential outbreaks of war had been resolved by talks in the past.