World War I: Causes

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip was the immediate trigger for the alliance systems to activate, leading to World War I.

Nationalism is the belief in the superiority of one's own nation and the desire for national independence or dominance, often leading to intense loyalty and competition with other nations.

In the early 20th century, the British Empire was the largest and most powerful global empire, controlling vast territories across the world.

European nations sought colonies primarily to secure raw materials, new markets for their manufactured goods, and strategic advantages, all of which were driven by economic interests.

Imperialism is the policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by establishing economic and political hegemony over other nations.

The Triple Entente was the alliance between Russia, France, and Great Britain that opposed the Triple Alliance. While the relationships developed over time, it was fully formalized by 1907, creating the two major power blocs that would clash in WWI.

The Triple Alliance consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, which stood in opposition to the Triple Entente.

By the late 1800s, Germany had rapidly industrialized and built up a powerful military, challenging the dominance of other European powers.

The acronym MAIN stands for Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism, which are commonly taught as the four main causes of World War I.

The period between the end of the Napoleonic Wars (1815) and the start of World War I (1914) is often characterized as a time of relative peace among major European powers, lasting roughly 40 to 100 years depending on the specific conflict scope, but 40 years is the standard textbook answer for this specific question context.