Causes and Trigger of WW1

Imperialism

• European countries competed for land and influence across Asia and Africa
• Countries competed for resources, trade rights and cultural influence
• the competition caused tention

Militarism

• to protect their areas of influence many nations began building large and powerful military's causing nervousness in other countries

Alliances

• as tensions grew countries made alliances with one another
• they promised to protect one another in case of war

Nationalism

• this idea that ones country was greater then the rest fueled tension
• nationalism was especially strong countries that wanted to become independent

Franz Ferdinand

• June 28 1914 Franz Ferdinand and his wife are assassinated by a Serbian nationalist
• Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, Russia