CAUSES
+Nationalism+
*At the settlement of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, nationalism was ignored in favor of preserving the peace.
*Strong nationalist movements and revolutions led to the unification of Italy in 1861 and Germany in 1871.
*The Franco-Prussian War was upsetting to the French because they lost Alsace-Lorraine to Germany.
*This also conflicted with Austria-Hungry.
+Imperialism+
*Great Britain, Germany and France needed foreign markets after the increase in manufacturing caused by the Industrial Revolution and these countries competed for economic expansion in Africa.
*Britain and France resolved their differences in Africa while Germany did not.
*The Ottoman Empire was crumbling in the middle east and it sparked interest from Austria-Hungry.
+Alliances+
*A dual alliance is created between Germany and Austria-Hungry which upsets the Russians.
*One side was Germany, Austria-Hungry, and Italy
*The other side was France, Britain, and Russia.
+Arms Race+
*The division of these countries led to an arms race.
*The armies and navies increased and the standing armies of France and Germany doubled in size between 1870 and 1914.
*Britain and Germany dueled bigger and badder naval technology.
+Other Stuff+
*Germany almost stole Morocco from the French people but Britain helped to make Morocco a French protectorate.
*Austria-Hungry annexed Bosnia which made Serbia threaten war on Austria-Hungry. Russia back Serbia up but war did not happen yet.
*Tensions between Serbia and Austria-Hungary increased when Austria-Hungary forced Serbia to abandon some of its gains.
*Germany sent a warship to Agadir in protest of French supremacy in Morocco which did not go over well.
*On June 28, 1914, Archduke Francis Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo.
*Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914.
*Germans threatened war on July 31 if the Russians did not demobilize.
*On August 1, Germany declared war on Russia, and two days later Germany declared on France. The Germans crossed Belgium to attack France. That violated Belgium's official neutrality and made Britain declare war on Germany.
TWO MAPS AT THE BEGINNING OF WORLD WAR I
