Causes of the Great War By Lauren Tampaline

1. Causes of the Great WarBy Lauren Tampaline IMPERIALISM: when countries take higher possession/control over other countries to create empires.

2. Think of the general topic of the causes of the Great War as a skyscraper. It is made up of different, rocky layers, or events, that given time, collapsed, as represented as the start of the Great War. The foundation of this skyscraper is imperialism- a foundation made up of different events that gave a terrible starting structure to the lead up of World War 1. With an unsteady base, every brick that was built after it just made the tall tower more likely to fall. Every event after the rush of imperialism only made the chances of the occurrence of a war so much more likely. Imperialism is the sole starting point of the Causes of World War 1.

3. Race to Imperialism • By 1900, European powers owned/controlled most of Africa and Asia, as well as all of or parts of every other continent as well. • Main empires of Europe were Germany, Russia, France, Britain • Each European empire relied on it’s ability to maintain and expand its colonial empires. • Created competition.

4. First Moroccan Crisis • Triple Entente signed between France and Britain • France had Britain and Spain’s permission on claim most of Morocco as a French protectorate • Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany didn’t like this; tested friendship by visiting Morocco and telling them that they should be independent • Algeciras Conference was held for representatives to vote for what should happen in Morocco; every nation but Germany and Austria-Hungary decided Morocco should be independent but France would control the financial system

5. First Balkan Crisis (1908-09) • Austria-Hungary wanted to annex Bosnia-Herzegovina but Russia and Serbia also wanted the land • Without permission, Austria claimed Bosnia • Russia and Serbia wanted to go to war with Austria, but were too weak and Germany warned them not to • In 1909, Treaty of Berlin was signed which recognised the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary • Damaged relations between Austria-Hungary on one side and Russia and Serbia on the other side

6. 2nd Moroccan Crisis (1911) • Caused by German gunboat ‘Panther’ appearing in a Moroccan port • Britain made it clear that it would support France, and got ready for a war with Germany • Britain threatened Germany that any arrangements with Morocco had to be consulted with Britain • Germany signed the Treaty of France which stated that in acknowledgement of French claims, Germany was given some French territory, which was mainly just some swampland in the Congo, and Germany wasn’t impressed

7. Thankyou for listening