Name _________________________ Date_______________________
World War I
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In the 19th and 20th centuries, Britain, France and other European
nations were seizing territory in Asia and Africa.
When one country takes over another country it is called imperialism.
 Many smaller European nations wanted alliances to protect themselves
from being taken over by an imperialist nation.
 Alliance is an agreement among nations to defend one another.
Countries competed for military power and ownership of European lands. Strong
feelings of nationalism existed.
 Nationalism is a love of one’s county and the desire to be free from control.
Austria-Hungary (South Central Europe) had an alliance with Germany.
 In 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his
wife were assassinated by a Serbian nationalist.
 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
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Corner
 Created
Serbia
had an
alliance with Russia.
WWI began.
Central Powers
Allied Powers
 Austria-Hungary
 Germany
 Bulgaria
 Turkey (the Ottoman
Empire
 Great Britain
 Russia
 France
 Italy
 Japan
 Serbia
 Belgium.
 Eventually the U.S.
 28 other nations
eventually
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U.S. Policy Changes
U.S. President was Woodrow Wilson.
 The U.S. was isolationist- they believed that countries should
not get involved in each other’s problems.
 During the first 2 years of the war, the U.S. remained neutral,
but when a German submarine sank a passenger ship called the
Lusitania in 1917, 1,200 innocent people died, including 128
Americans.
 President Wilson still wanted to avoid war.
Zimmerman Note
 Then a German telegram was intercepted and printed in
newspapers.
 The message is known as the Zimmerman Note.
 The Zimmerman note stated Germany promised to help
Mexico gain back land in the United States.
 This message was decoded by the British and given to US.
 It suggested an alliance between Mexico and Germany
against the U.S.
 This angered the Americans and on April 6, 1917, The U.S.
declared war on Germany, joining the Allied powers.
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WWI was a new kind of war. There were new technologies like
submarines, airplanes, mustard gas, armored tanks, and trench warfare.
 Trench Warfare: a form of war where each side dug trenches.
 Soldiers stayed in trenches. Some long as 400 miles.
 The area between the trenches was called no man’s land.
The Fighting Begins
Most of the fighting was on two fronts: the Eastern Front (Belgium and
France) and the Western Front (Central and Eastern Europe)
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June 28, 1914 –Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
July 30, 1914 – Russia prepares to help Serbia.
August 1, 1914 - Germany declares war on Russia.
August 3, 1914 – Germany declares war on France
August 4, 1914 – German Army invades Belgium;
therefore
Great Britain declares war on Germany
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War Heroes
Eddie
 one of the 1st U.S. fighter pilots
Rickenbacker  “Ace”- shot down 22 German
planes and 4 observation balloons.
Alvin York
 “Sharp shooter” – took out 35
Garman machine guns.
 Returned with 132 German
prisoners.
How Americans Helped in the War Effort
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Sang patriotic songs
Gave money to Red Cross
Raised “war gardens” to help feed people at home and overseas
Government encouraged people to eat less
Women went to work in factories to make weapons, tanks and
ammunition
 African Americans took over many jobs that men left behind.
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The War Is Over
 November 11, 1918, both sides signed an agreement, called an
armistice, to end the fighting. The Central Powers surrendered
In January 1919, President Wilson and other Allied leaders met in
Versailles, France to draw up a peace treaty.
 The Treaty of Versailles, signed May 7, 1919, formally ended the war.
 A total of almost 10 million soldiers died in the war, 21 million were
wounded. 5 million civilians, people who are not soldiers, died.
Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations
The Treaty of Versailles made Germany take 100% responsibility for the
war.
 Germany pay Allied powers back for the cost of the war.
 It also said that countried should form an organization to try to
prevent another war.
 This organiztion was called the League of Nations.
 Even though the League of Nations was the idea of the U.s.
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Predident Woodrow wilson, the U.S. never joined.
Interpret the following political cartoon. This cartoon was drawn after America entered WWI.
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Show what you know
Write about the difference between being imperialist or being
isolationist. Then write about why the U.S. joined WWI.
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Vocabulary – Words to Know
1. Imperialism: When one country takes over
another country
2. Alliance: is an agreement among nations to
defend one another.
3. Nationalism: is a love of one’s county and the
desire to be free from control.
4. Trench Warfare: a form of war where each
side dug trenches.
5. No Mans Land: The area between the
trenches.
6. Isolationist: they believed that countries
should not get involved in each other’s
problems.
7. Treaty of Versailles: officially ended WWI
and severely punished the central powers.
8. League of Nations: an international
organization to help prevent wars.
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