Unit 4: WWI Intro Lesson & Concept Checkpoint #4

Open Ended

Type at least ONE thing you remember from World History about World War I

I can explain what caused World War I and the US position at the start.

MAIN Causes of WWI

▷M - Militarism - build up of the
military

▷A - Alliances - the formation of
military and political friendships

▷I - Imperialism - the expansion of
territory

▷N - Nationalism - pride in one’s
country

Alliances During WWI

▷Allied Powers (Triple Entente):
○Serbia

○Russia (until 1917)

○France

○Great Britain

○Italy (after 1915)

○United States (1917)

▷Central Powers (Triple Alliances):
○Austria-Hungary

○Germany

○Ottoman Empire

○Italy (until 1915)

U.S. Declares Neutrality

▷Americans were unsure of which side
to support
○Many Americans supported the
country of their heritage.

▷Eventually, support leans towards the
allies due to our strong economic ties
with Great Britain & France.

▷Regardless of support, Americans did
not want to join WWI and remain
neutral.

Multiple Choice

At the start of WWI, the US was ......

• Supporting the Allies

• Neutral

• Supporting the Central Powers

• Immediately got involved

Multiple Choice

What does neutral mean?

• Clearly supporting one side over another

• Trying to defend your allies during a conflict

• Not taking sides