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Bosnian-Serb terrorist shot and killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife, were killed in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip. Princip wanted his freedom for Slavic people from Austria-Hungary. This event made Austria-Hungary blame Serbia, and led to conflict. This led to World War 1. -
Germany Invades Belgium
Germany invaded Belgium on August 4, 1914, to quickly attack France during World War I. They went through Belgium to avoid France’s defenses. This caused Britain to declare war on Germany because Belgium was neutral. The invasion caused a lot of damage, and there was heavy fighting. Although Germany made some progress, the Allies stopped them. -
First German Zeppelin raid on England
The first German Zeppelin raid on England happened on January 19, 1915, during World War 1. Two airships dropped bombs on towns. Four people were killed, and some buildings were damaged. This was the first time civilians in England were attacked from the air during the war. -
The Sinking of the Lusitania
A German submarine hit the British passenger ship with a torpedo off the coast of Ireland. The ship was traveling from New York to Liverpool and sank quickly, killing 1,198 people, including 128 Americans. Many Americans were angry because innocent people were killed. Germany had warned that ships in the war zone could be attacked, but it still felt wrong. This event helped lead to the United States joining World War I in 1917. -
The Battle of Loos
The British tried to break through the German lines and capture land. They used poison gas for the first time, but the wind blew it back onto their own soldiers. The British made some progress, but the Germans fought back hard. After many losses on both sides, the British didn’t gain much, and the battle ended without a clear winner. -
The Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was a long and brutal fight in 1916 between France and Germany near the city of Verdun. Germany tried to weaken France, but the French refused to give up. The battle lasted almost a year and caused a lot of deaths and injuries. In the end, neither side gained much, but it showed how terrible the war had become. -
The Battle of Jutland
The British and German Navies in the North Sea. Germany wanted to break Britain’s blockade. Both sides lost many ships, but Britain kept control of the sea, so they won the battle. It was the largest sea battle of World War I. -
The 1916 Somme offensive
The 1916 Battle of the Somme was a big fight in World war 1. It started on July 1 and ended on November 18. British and French soldiers tried to push back the German soldiers near the Somme River in France. On the first day, many British soldiers were hurt or killed. The Battle lasted a long time, but only a little land was won. -
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution of 1917 changed Russia’s government. In the February Revolution, Tsar Nicholas II stepped down due to anger over the war and poor living conditions. In the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, took control, promising "peace, land, and bread." They pulled Russia out of World War I and created the Soviet Union after a civil war. -
Senate voted in support of the measure to declare war on Germany
On April 6, 1917, the U.S. The Senate voted to declare war on Germany. This happened because Germany had attacked American ships and one other thing that made the U.S. feel unsafe. After the vote,the U.S. joined WW1 to help fight against Germany. This is important because it changed history. -
Battle of Cambrai
The Battle of Cambrai was between British and German forced near Cambrai, France. It was the first big battle to use tanks, which helped the British at first. But the Germans fought back and took back much of the land. Both sides had losses, and the battle showed how tanks could change the war. -
Spanish Flu Pandemic
The Spanish Flu started in March 1918 and spread all over the world, partly because of World War I. Soldiers in crowded camps and traveling made it spread faster. It was different from normal flu because it killed a lot of young, healthy people too. Hospitals couldn’t keep up, and there weren’t enough doctors or supplies to help everyone. By the time it was over in 1919, about 50 million people had died. -
German Spring Offensive
The German Spring Offensive in 1918 was Germany’s last big attack in World War I. They wanted to win before more American soldiers arrived. At first, they gained a lot of land, but their troops were tired, and they ran out of supplies. The Allies fought back and stopped them, leading to Germany losing the war later that year. Many soldiers died on both sides. -
Armistice
Ended the fighting in World War I. It was an agreement between Germany and the Allies to stop the war. The armistice started at 11 AM on that day. By then, Germany was losing and had problems at home. The agreement made Germany pull back its soldiers and give up many weapons. -
The Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles ended WW1 but caused many problems. It blamed Germany for the war, made them pay a lot of money, took away their land, and made their army smaller. Germans felt it was unfair and humiliating, which made them angry. Other countries were also unhappy, and the treaty failed to keep peace, leading to WW2.