The document discusses the long-term causes of World War 1, which included militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism in European nations. It also summarizes key events that led to the US entry into the war in 1917, including the sinking of the Lusitania which killed American citizens, the Zimmerman Telegram, and America's lending of money to allies. After the war, the Treaty of Versailles assigned war guilt to Germany and required it to pay massive reparations, contributing to economic instability in Germany.

1. World War I
U.S. History

2. Long-Term Causes of WWI
MILITARISM ALLIANCES IMPERIALISM NATIONALISM
M A I N

3. Long-Term Causes of WWI
MILITARISM
• The policy of building up armed
forces in aggressive
preparedness for war.

4. Long-Term Causes of WWI
ALLIANCES
• This is where two or more
nations form an agreement for
a common objective.
• It could be a military alliance or
a trade alliance.

5. Long-Term Causes of WWI
IMPERIALISM
• The policy of extending a
nation’s authority over other
countries by economic,
political, or military means.

6. Long-Term Causes of WWI
NATIONALISM
• A devotion to the interest and culture
of one’s nation.
• The belief that people should be loyal
mainly to their nation-that is to the
people with whom they share a culture
and history.
• They share the same language, food,
religion, dress, ideas, customs and
land.

7. What event led to the beginning of WWI in
Europe?
• Assassination of Archduke
Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary

8. Causes of US
Entry into
WWI in 1917
Lusitania
Zimmerman Telegram (Note)
Lending Allies Money

9. Causes of US Entry into WWI in 1917
Lusitania
• A British passenger ship that was
sunk by a German U-boat off the
coast of Ireland in May 1915 killing
1,198 people, including 128
Americans.
• The German’s defended their action
on the grounds that the ship carried
ammunitions for the Allies.

10. Causes of US Entry into WWI in 1917
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
• Type of warfare in which the
Germans used U-boats to sink any
ships heading to Great Britain that
were believed to be carrying war
contraband.
• Germany also stated that it would
not be possible to warn crews or
passengers in advance of the attack.

11. Causes of US Entry into WWI in 1917
Zimmerman Telegram (Note)
• message sent in 1917 by the
German foreign minister to the
German ambassador in Mexico
• proposed a German-Mexican
alliance, promised to help
Mexico regain Texas, New
Mexico, and Arizona if the US
entered World War I.

12. Causes of US Entry into WWI in 1917
Lending Allies Money
• The US lent money to the Allies
• To make sure the money isn’t wasted, the US had to make sure the
Allies win

13. Allies Central Powers
Great Britain Germany
France Bulgaria
Russia Ottoman Empire
United States Austria-Hungary

14. Types of Fighting
Trench Warfare
• to protect against artillery and
machine gun* fire, both sides dug
networks of trenches
• barbed wire was stretch across the
battlefield to protect the soldier in
the trenches
• neither side was successful in
gaining ground due to the new
technologies
*new technology
(and unrestricted submarine
warfare)

15. War Bonds
What was the purpose of War Bonds?
• to help the government raise money to fight
the war
How does it work?
• people buy War Bonds from the government
(like a savings bond)
• it cost half of the ”face value” (a $50 bond
costs $25)
• after 10 years it will pay back the face value
• also called “Liberty Bonds”
• WWII they will be called “War Bonds”

16. Selective Service Act
• an act for drafting soldiers
• when a man reaches 18 years old, they have to register for selective
service
• it is still a law
• IF there is a draft, all men aged 18-25 are eligible for the draft

17. Which side won?
The Allies

18. What was the impact of the War Guilt
Clause?
• Treaty of Versailles ended WWI (1919)
• War Guilt Clause of the Treaty of Versailles says Germany is
responsible for beginning WWI and had to pay reparations to cover
the civilian costs of the war.
• Germany had to pay $33 Billion (that is $490.9 Trillion today)
• Germany resented being held solely responsible for the war, they
blamed others were responsible too
• Germany experienced hyperinflation (prices rising VERY quickly - the
value of their money falling Very quickly)
• it took Germany 92 years to pay it off (2011)

19. Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points
• Wilson's idea that he wanted included in the WWI peace treaty,
including freedom of the seas and the League of Nations.
• The purpose was to prevent another world war

20. League of Nations, 1919
• Devised by President Wilson
• to be a place where countries of the
world could meet regularly to discuss
their issues instead of just fighting about
them
• it was unsuccessful because the US
Senate did not want to join, it wanted
the US to remain neutral and isolated,
therefore one of the world’s biggest
powers did not participate in keeping
world peace
Who was President during WWI?
Wilson

21. these laws Limited Free Speech
Espionage Act (1917)
• Law passed by Congress that
made it illegal to aid the enemy,
give false reports, or interfere
with the war effort.
Sedition Act (1918)
• Law passed that made it illegal
to speak against the war publicly
• allowed the government to
prosecute anyone who criticized
the government

22. Schenck v. U.S., 1919
• Charles Schenck argued that people should not
obey the draft (Selective Service Act) because it
violated the Constitution saying it was the same as
slavery
• United States Supreme Court supported the
Espionage Act and said that Schenck did not have
the right to say this because it would have hurt the
US ability to fight and win the war
• upheld the rule: during wartime people’s rights can
be limited for the benefit of the nation as a whole
• Schenck’s actions presented a “clear and present
danger” for the United States.