Download APUSH What Were the Causes of WWI? Video Transcript: June 28th

APUSH
What Were the Causes of WWI?
Video Transcript:
June 28th, 1914 in Sarajevo, the capital of Serbia. Two bullets fired by an angry
Serbian nationalist kill Archduke Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian
Empire. His murder destabilized an already tense Europe and sparked the First
World War.
Conflict had built for the past 50 years as many European powers claimed new
colonies and beefed up their militaries. Everyone wanted more land, resources, and
power. The British had an empire, the French had an empire, the Germans had and
wanted an empire and as these empires collided, it created great friction. But
Germany wasn't alone in the empire-building business. Nationalism was rampant in
the European countries. To protect their interests and gain even more strength,
these empires sought allies. Starting at the beginning of the 20th century, the
various powers of Europe began forming alliance systems. The British and the
French allied against the Germans and eventually drew in the Russians. The
Germans felt they needed help, so they allied with the Austrians and then they
eventually attached to the Ottoman Empire, so that by 1914, Europe had become
an armed camp. Britain, France, Russia on one side. These are going to become
the Allied Powers and Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire on the
other side. These will be the Central Powers.
By 1914, the alliance systems had been built in such a way that the slightest tremor
could cause the whole structure to collapse. And collapse, it did. After the
assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
Russia, a Serbian ally then declared war on Austria-Hungary. The complicated web
of alliances went into overdrive. England and France jumped in to protect Serbia
and Germany was more than willing to fight for Austria-Hungary. The U.S. joined the
Allied Powers in 1917 and by the end, over 100 countries participated even ones as
far away as Japan and Bolivia. The Great War finally ended in 1918.
I. What were the underlying causes of WWI? What four situations in Europe
laid the groundwork for such a massive, deadly conflict?
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II.What was the spark that set off WWI?