WWI Causes

At first, World War I was called the Great War.

People didn't call it World War I until World War II started. They didn't know there would be more than one world war. So, they didn't think they needed to number it.

World War I is usually considered the first modern, worldwide war. Today, it is usually called World War I or the First World War. It can also be abbreviated as "WWI."

In the decades before World War I, many countries began to industrialize by building more factories.

How did industrialization affect World War I?

Industrialization was part of why World War I was so deadly. European countries competed to have the most war materials. They also invented and produced many dangerous new weapons.

Before World War I, many countries in Europe created military alliances. An alliance is an agreement to work together to create a balance of power.

For decades, European countries were competing with each other to be the most powerful nation. However, each country knew that one very strong European country could be dangerous to all other countries. So, they created an alliance system to keep any one country from becoming too strong.

Why didn't the alliance system work?

The alliance system was risky. One small event could bring all of Europe into a war. The alliance system was part of what started World War I.

In 1908, Austria-Hungary annexed, or took, the territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Austria-Hungary took it from the Ottoman Empire. This move upset the people of Serbia. They thought Bosnia-Herzegovina should be a part of Serbia.

Many people in Serbia wanted to unite Serbians, Bosnians, Croats, and other Slavic people into one country. That country would be ruled by Slavic people.

The Balkans and World War I

The area south of Austria-Hungary is known as the Balkans. Many different groups of people live in the Balkans, including Bulgarians, Romanians, Serbians, and Greeks. Before World War I, there were wars between these groups.

This cartoon shows world leaders worrying about the fighting in the Balkans. It suggests that the leaders were afraid the problems in the Balkans would affect the rest of the world.

The country of Serbia is south of Austria-Hungary. People who live in Serbia are called Serbians. Read the passage. Then answer the question.

The Black Hand was a secret club created before World War I. It was created by people from Serbia.

The members of the club were proud of their culture. They were from the Slavic culture. Slavic people included Serbians, Bosnians, and some people in Austria-Hungary.

The Black Hand wanted to make one big state for all Slavic people. It used violence to achieve its goal.

The Black Hand's main goal was for all Slavic people to be part of the same country.

The Black Hand used violence to try to unite, or bring together, Slavic people into one state. For example, its members tried to assassinate the emperor of Austria-Hungary.

"Unification or death!"

Many members of the Black Hand were also part of the Serbian military and government. Their motto was "Unification or death." After World War I, the Slavic countries did unify. The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was founded at the end of 1918. The country was later called Yugoslavia. It lasted for around 60 years.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria traveled to Bosnia-Herzegovina in June 1914. He traveled there just six years after Austria-Hungary had annexed the territory. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was an important figure at the time because he was the heir, or next in line, to the throne of Austria-Hungary.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand went to Bosnia to visit Austria-Hungary's army. However, many people in Bosnia didn't like the rulers of Austria-Hungary. People warned the archduke that the visit was dangerous. He went anyway.

An Austrian love story

Archduke Franz Ferdinand traveled to Bosnia with his wife, Countess Sophie Chotek of Bohemia. Archduke Franz Ferdinand's family did not like Sophie. At first, she was not allowed to marry him. Archduke Franz Ferdinand married her anyway.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot while he was traveling through Bosnia. The man who shot him was named Gavrilo Princip. Gavrilo Princip killed the archduke because he didn't want Austria-Hungary to control Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was part of the government of Austria-Hungary. Gavrilo Princip didn't want Austria-Hungary to control Bosnia-Herzegovina. So, Gavrilo Princip shot the archduke.

Who was Gavrilo Princip?

Gavrilo Princip was a member of the Black Hand. The Black Hand was a group that wanted to create a Slavic state. They used violence against Austria-Hungary to achieve their goals.

The Black Hand sent Gavrilo to kill the archduke. When he shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Gavrilo Princip was only 19 years old. He was sent to jail for his crimes. He later died in jail.

The leaders of Austria-Hungary declared war on the country of Serbia after Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot because they blamed Serbia for the assassination.

In July 1914, the government of Austria-Hungary sent the government of Serbia a list called the July Ultimatum.

It was a list of what Serbia could do to make up for the archduke's death. Here are some of the things the Serbian government was asked to do:

• • stop school teachers from teaching lessons that say bad things about Austria-Hungary

  • fire any soldiers or officials who say bad things about Austria-Hungary

  • stop Serbian officials from sending weapons to rebel groups like the Black Hand

  • arrest the people who helped to kill Archduke Franz Ferdinand

The things on the list were made to be difficult for Serbia to follow. Serbia agreed to follow most of the list. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia anyway.