Do Now• What causes conflict? (What are things that

happen/occur/people do that cause arguments and war?)

Pre-war EuropeIndustrial Revolution

industrial boom created need for new markets and raw materials

Imperialism

created economically and politically powerful nations

Competition for power and superiority!

The M.A.I.N. Causes of WWIImperialism – domination by one country of the economic,

political and/or cultural life of another.Militarism – to glorify armed strength and the idea of war.Alliance – agreement made between two or more countries to give

each other help if it is needed.Nationalism – having extreme pride in one’s country.

Imperialism• European countries competed with each other to build

bigger empires.• European countries competed over: land and empires,

navies and armies, power• Competition created rivalries in amongst them.• EX: Germany wanted to catch up with Britain. Britain became

suspicious of Germany.

Militarism• Britain had the biggest navy in the world.• Germany wanted a big navy, so it began to increase its size. • Britain felt threatened and began to build more battleships

(Dreadnoughts). Germany responded and built its own.• An arms race ensued between Britain and Germany.• Germany also competed with France and Russia to increase

its army.

Alliances• Competition and rivalries created by imperialism and

militarism created a feeling among European countries that war was inevitable.• Countries created alliances for protection. Each country

promised to help the other if war broke out.• By 1914 two rival alliances had been created• Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy• Triple Entente: Great Britain, Russia, France

Nationalism• The success of industrialization and imperialism created

great feelings of national pride in European countries.• These nations wanted to assert their power.

• Other countries in Europe like Austria-Hungary and the Balkans region had many ethnic minorities, creating nationalist tension.• Each ethnic group longed for independence.