The Four Main causes of World War I
Nationalism- "Much of the origin of the war was based on the desire of the Slavic peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina to no longer be part of Austria Hungary but instead be part of Serbia(About.com, 2016)."
Imperialism- "Before World War 1, Africa and parts of Asia were points of contention amongst the European countries. This was especially true because of the raw materials these areas could provide. The increasing competition and desire for greater empires led to an increase in confrontation that helped push the world into World War I(About.com, 2016)."
Alliances...."Over time, countries throughout Europe made mutual defense agreements that would pull them into battle. These treaties meant that if one country was attacked, allied countries were bound to defend them(About.com, 2016)."
Each one of these is a treaty that would force either country into war if the other entered into a conflict.
"The Three Emperors’ League (1873). This league was a three way alliance between the ruling monarchs of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia."
"The Dual Alliance (1879).Germany and Austria-Hungary This was a binding military alliance that required each signatory to support the other if one was attacked by Russia."
"The Triple Alliance (1882). This complex three way alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy was driven by anti-French and anti-Russian sentiment."
"The Franco-Russian Alliance (1894). This military alliance between France and Russia restored cordial relations between the two imperial powers."
"The Entente Cordiale (1904). Meaning ‘friendly agreement’, the Entente Cordiale was a series of agreements between Britain and France"
"The Anglo-Russian Entente (1907). This agreement between Britain and Russia eased tensions and restored good relations between the two nations."
"The Triple Entente (1907). This treaty consolidated the Entente Cordiale and the Anglo-Russian Entente into a three way agreement between Britain, France and Russia"
J. Llewellyn et al, “Alliances as a cause of World War I” at Alpha History,
http://alphahistory.com/worldwar1/alliances/, 2014, accessed [June 09, 2016].
US enters war in 1917 on side of the Triple Entente 
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Image shows natives of Africa begging at the feet of their imperial overlords. It sums up how the Imperialist powers viewed their subjects.
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Each major European country would attempt to become an imperial power by the late 19th century. With countries like Britain, Spain, The Netherlands, and France having a head start on countries such as Germany and Italy, it would prove to be a contentious issue. Imperialism Explanation
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"In a more general way, the nationalism of the various countries throughout Europe contributed not only to the beginning but the extension of the war in Europe. Each country tried to prove their dominance and power(About.com, 2016)."
With each country having strong nationalist views, the link to the website below details the differences within each country. National Rivalries
(L. Llewellyn, 2016)
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Militarism...."As the world entered the 20th century, an arms race had begun. By 1914, Germany had the greatest increase in military buildup. Great Britain and Germany both greatly increased their navies in this time period. Further, in Germany and Russia particularly, the military establishment began to have a greater influence on public policy. This increase in militarism helped push the countries involved into war."
(The Top 5 Causes That Led to World War I. Could It Happen Again? (n.d.). Retrieved June 09, 2016, from
http://americanhistory.about.com/od/worldwari/tp/causes-of-
world-war-1.htm)
With each country attempting to show dominance the money funding the military grew exponentially. Military Buildup
Battleship Production
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PD-US
Adolf Hitler is the soldier in the bottom left front row.
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While most of the causes leading up to the war were long term, one moment in time sparked the powder keg that was Europe.
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by the Serbian Nationalist Group the Black Hand
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4 M-A-I-N Causes Video
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