CONTENT STATEMENT
The causes of World War I included militarism, imperialism, nationalism, and alliances.
CONTENT ELABORATION
Military spending among the great powers of Europe increased greatly in the years prior to World War I. Rivalries between global powers led to a building up of armed forces and an increase in distrust amongst the European nations.
The great powers of Europe were competing for land and resources around the world.
Intense nationalism was on the rise in Europe, including in the Balkans, which was a factor in the outbreak of World War I. Due to national animosities, there was little resistance to war when it began.
The system of alliances early in the century set the stage for entangling a small-scale conflict into a world war since each alliance brought several nations into the conflict. By the beginning of the war, the two large alliances were the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance.
EXPECTATIONS FOR LEARNING
Identify and explain the causes of World War I.