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Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg were assassinated in Sarajevo on June 28th,1914. They were shot to death by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian student and member of the Serbian secret society "Black Hand". This event was the main cause for WW1. The U.S. was not involved in this because we didn't really play a role in the conflict in this event. -
Great Britain declared war on Germany due to Germany's violation of Belgian neutrality and British fears of German domination in Europe. The U.S. did not have an involvement in this event because we decided to remain neutral until 1917. -
The German U-boat U-20 torpedoed and sank the British passenger liner Lusitania, resulting in the deaths of 1,198 passengers and crew. Including 128 Americans. This event significantly impacted public opinion in the U.S. and is considered a major turning point leading to Americas entry in World War 1. The U.S. was involved in this event because the loss of American lives fueled anti-German sentiment and significantly shifted public opinion against Germany. -
American voters re-elect President Woodrow Wilson who had campaigned on the slogan, "He kept us out of war." The U.S. was involved in this by Woodrow's significant influence by his handling of Americas relationship with WW1. -
British naval intelligence intercepted and decrypted a telegram sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German Ambassador in Mexico City. The U.S. didn't have an involvement in this event because we stayed neutral until 4/6/1917. -
The United states declared war on Germany, Congress passed the Declaration of War. This declaration ended the period of American neutrality and dramatically altered the course of the war. The U.S. entry brought significant manpower, industrial capacity, and financial resources to the Allied cause, ultimately tipping the balance of power against the Central Powers. The declaration was preceded by months of increasing tensions, including unrestricted warfare by Germany and the Zimmerman Telegram. -
The first 14,000 U.S. infantry troops landed in France at the port of Saint Nazaire. The landing site had been kept secret because of the menace of German submarines. The U.S. was involved in this event due to us being apart of the ongoing preparation's and support for the war effort. -
The Sedition Act of 1918 was enacted on May 16, 1918 to extend the Espionage Act of 1917. The Sedition Act covered a broader range of offenses, notably speech and the expression of opinion that cast the government or the war effort in a negative light or interfered with the sale of government bonds. The U.S. was involved in the Sedition act of 1918 because the U.S. congress passed the act into law. The U.S. government created, enacted, and enforced the law. -
On November 11th, 1918 at 11:00 am the Armistice agreement between the Allied forces and Germany officially went into effect, bringing and end to World War 1. This is now commemorated as Armistice day or Remembrance day in many countries. The U.S. was involved in this because the signing of the Armistice on November 11th became a national holiday in the United States to honor those who served in the First World War, and helped bring it to a close. -
This date marks the signing of the Treaty of Versailles at the Palace of Versailles in France. This treaty officially ended WW1 between Germany and the Allied powers. It imposed harsh penalties on Germany, including territorial losses, disarmament, etc. The treaty is also considered a major factor contributing to the rise of tensions and ultimately WW2. The U.S.'s involvement in this was marked by both significant influence in the treaty's creation and a decisive rejection of its final form.