Question

What was the spark that ignited World War 1?

Answer 1

There are many factors why World War 1 started.

Explanation:

Factors:
1. Imperialism
2. Nationalism
3. Militarism
4. Alliances

Nationalism:
Germany was improving its military.
Imperialism:
Britain was the most dominant in imperialism
Militarism and Alliances:
Central Powers-Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire
Allied- Britain, France, Russia, Italy
there are more allies but these are the major ones

Before WW1 started, it was getting tense already with the European countries. Germany and Britain were tense due to the trade. Other countries tense due to Germany's growing military. These are a one part of the spark.

The other is Bosnia and Herzegovina's freedom from Austria-Hungary. Serbia wants to free Bosnia and Herzegovina from Austria because Bosnia and Herzegovina's citizens are 80% Serbians. The Black Hand, a group that wants to free Bosnia and Herzegovina, planned to combine Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to make Greater Serbia.

The Black Hand planned to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand when the Archduke was in Serbia to take care of things regarding the freedom of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Gavrilo Princip, a member of Black Hand, was the assassin who killed the Archduke (other assassins failed). The Archduke along with his wife died by a gunshot.

Austria was enraged by this matter so they asked Germany for help and they planned to conduct an investigation on Serbia. (which Serbia agreed on)
when a country wants a different country investigated, a another country must be the one to investigate and not the country that filed an investigation*

Austrian officials weren't allowed to go with the investigation but the officials still went along. Serbia asked Russia for help since they are allies. Germany allied with Austria-Hungary. Russia asked France for help ( France agreed due to the Franco-Prussian War ) while Germany asked for France to be neutral.

June 28, 1914- Death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
July 28, 1914- Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia
Aug. 1, 1914- Germany declared war on Russia
Aug. 3, 1914- Germany declared war on France
Aug. 4, 1914- Great Britain declared war on Germany

The spark of WW1 is more like sparks. Everything is linked and they all have consequences. The end of this war made the League of Nations ( now known as U.N )

These information's a combination of my notes of AP this school year and the my lessons from last school year.