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World War I: World War I was a war between the Allied Powers (Russia, France, British Empire, Italy, United States, Japan, Rumania, Serbia, Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Montenegro) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria) from 1914-1918.

The major causes of World War I was the Mutual Defense Alliances, imperialism, militarism, nationalism, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Mutual Defense Alliances: The alliances at the time were Russia and Serbia, Germany and Austria-Hungary, France and Russia, Britain and France and Belgium, and Japan and Britain.

Imperialism: When a country increases in power and wealth by bringing in other territories under their control.

Militarism: The beginning of the 20th century was also the start of an arms race where many countries were building up in military power.

Nationalism: Slavic people in Bosnia and Herzegovina no longer wanted to be a part of Austria Hungary and instead be a part of Serbia. The countries in Europe were also trying to show their power or in other words, nationalism.

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand: A Serbian nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife while they were in Sarajevo, Bosnia, a part of Austria Hungary. Serbia wanted to take over Bosnia and Herzegovina and this act was a way of protesting that Austria Hungary had control of this region. This caused Austria Hungary to declare war on Russia and Russia was an alliance of Serbia, and then began World War I between the Mutual Defense Alliances.