World War I

Question 1

Why was “New Imperialism called that? (5 main reasons)

Answer 1

1. There was more direct influence / control than before (such as with protectorates and spheres of influence)
2. It happened over a short period of time
3. There was little immigration
4. Ethnocentrism / views of superiority increased
5. There was a bigger focus on Africa than before

Question 2

What were the 2 main motivations of New Imperialism?

Answer 2

1. Economic gain

2. Political gain

Question 3

What were the economic motivations for New Imperialism?

Answer 3

1. Need for new markets
2. New sources of raw materials
   (HOWEVER, OFTEN COUNTRIES WOULD LOSE MONEY RATHER THAN GAINING)

Question 4

What were the political motives for New Imperialism?

Answer 4

1. Civilizing missions (based in ethnocentrism and Christianity)
2. Social Policy (if things were not going well in the home country)
3. Gaining prestige / power (African nations gained as ‘trophies’)
4. The fall of the Ottoman Empire (Austria taking Balkan land was ‘Catalyst for WWI’)
5. Fast decisions being made without authority or a plan for the future

Question 5

How did industrialization influence imperialism?

Answer 5

1. science and technology (ex. weapons, agriculture, communication, etc) allow for more influence over other places
2. More organization of institutions, states, etc (NATIONALISM begins)
3. Europeans become expansionist and Ethnocentric

Question 6

What is the difference between direct rule / annexation, protectorates, and spheres of influence?

Answer 6

DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CONTROL
Direct rule / annexation - rule / taking control for own needs
Protectorates - Foreign states protect the country, oversee gonermnment
Spheres of influence - special privileges granted with no political involvement, agreement of control over certain areas

Question 7

When was the German empire made? Why was that a significant event?

Answer 7

1871

Threw off balance of power made at the Congress of Vienna

Question 8

What were Bismarck’s goals? What did he do to achieve them?

Answer 8

Wanted to show Germany was a SATISFIED POWER, and have friendly (but careful) relations with France.
(goals were CONSOLIDATION, PEACE, and to KEEP LAND)

Made the Three Emperors league (Germany, Russia, and Austria)

Question 9

Why did the Three Emperors League first fall

Answer 9

Austrian-Russian conflict over the Balkans (with the Slavic rebellion against Turkey, which led to the PAN-SLAVIC MOVEMENT)

Question 10

What was the Treaty of San Stefano?

Answer 10

The treaty in 1878 removing Slavic regions from Ottoman control, giving Russia a larger region of power
(this worried Britain)

Question 11

Who was involved in the Congress of Berlin? When was it?

Answer 11

Britain, Austria, Russia, Germany, etc.

1878

Question 12

What was the impact of the Congress of Berlin (1878)

Answer 12

1. Russia lost territory / power in the Balkans (tension continued there)
2. Ended the Three Emperors League

Question 13

What was the Dual Alliance? When was it made?

Answer 13

A secret agreement made between Germany and Austria in 1879 (aid if Russia attacked)

Question 14

What other country joined the Dual Alliance to make the Triple Alliance? Why?

Answer 14

Italy (1882)

An action against France

Question 15

What happened with the change of German Monarch?

Answer 15

• Wilhelm II focused on making Germany powerful
• Increased industry
• Dismissed Bismarck
  - Leads to fall of alliances

Question 16

What is the result of German alliances being broken (ex. after the Reinsurance Treaty was not reissued in 1894)?

Answer 16

Russia allies with France (despite very different political ideologies)

       - Connect over political isolation and need for foreign capital
       - Containment of Germany

Question 17

What is the result of the German-British rivalry

Answer 17

Germany wanted to become as good as / better than Britain

        - Colonial power
                  - prevented British railways being built in Africa
        - Navy strength
                  - Building Dreadnoughts

Question 18

What is the result of the Boer War (1898-1902)?

Answer 18

• Britain removes itself from “Splendid Isolation”
• Britain forms new alliances
  - Entente Cordiale - with France (1902)

Question 19

What is the Entente Cordiale?

Answer 19

An agreement (not alliance!) with Britain and France (1902) - settled differences

Question 20

What was the “First Moroccan Crisis”? What was the result of it?

Answer 20

• Wilhelm II challenges colonialism by making a speech about colonialism in 1905
• The resulting Algeciras conference leads to a loss of German power, a German-Austrian alliance, etc.

Question 21

What is the Triple Entente? What is significant about it?

Answer 21

• An agreement (like the Entente Cordiale) between Britain and Russia
• Stopped supporting Austria in stopping Russian influence in the Balkans
• Left Austria as Germany’s only ally

Question 22

What were the main changes from the formation of the German Empire and the outbreak of WWI?

Answer 22

• New alliances (ex. Triple Entente, Triple Alliance, etc.)
• New German monarch / goals
  - Bismark makes a balance of power, Wilhelm II breaks it

Question 23

What were the main continuities from the formation of the German Empire and the outbreak of WWI?

Answer 23

• Colonialism / the existence of Empires
• Alliances / trade deals being made
• Shifts in power balance

Question 24

What was the event that truly started WWI?

Answer 24

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serbian rebels