1. Imperialism 1 Expanding Empires

Apuntes

1. Imperialism – Expanding Empires Imperialism was one of the main long-term causes of World War I. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, European countries were competing to control more land and gain power around the world, especially in Africa. This competition increased tensions between powerful nations: The “Scramble for Africa” in the 1870s–1880s led to direct rivalry. Germany’s leader Otto von Bismarck tried to calm things down with the Berlin Conference in 1884, but peace didn’t last long. By 1900, most of Africa was taken over by European countries, science these countries had more natural resources Germany, led by Kaiser Wilhelm II, wanted to be a global power and followed a policy called Weltpolitik. This brought Germany into conflict with France and Britain, especially during the Moroccan Crises. These imperial rivalries created mistrust and made conflict between countries more likely. 2. Nationalism Nationalism also played a big role in causing the war: Across Europe, people were becoming more proud of their countries and more focused on their national identity, this led to competition. Nationalism helped unite countries like Germany and Italy, but it caused problems ...