World War I

  • Assassin of Franz Ferdinand

    Assassin of Franz Ferdinand
    Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, were shot during a parade by serbian, Gavrilo Princip.
  • Great War begins

    Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia after Franz Ferdinand was assassinated.
  • Kaiser declares "open season" on ships

    Kaiser declares "open season" on ships
    Kaiser Wilhelm announced that any ships in the North Sea war zone were liable to get sunk which was an important step in developing that policy.
  • Lusitania sunk

    Sunk by a torpedo from a German submarine off the coast of Ireland.
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    Battle of Somme

    Battle between the French and British armies against Germany
  • Wilson re-elected

    Defeated Supreme Court Justice Charles Hughes to be re-elected for his second term.
  • Zimmerman note intercepted

    Interception of a telegram from a German ambassador to Mexico suggesting an alliance if the US ever entered war with Germany.
  • US declares war on Germany

    Main reason US declared war was because of the unrestricted German submarine attacks on American ships.
  • Selective Service Act

    Selective Service Act
    Allowed the federal government to raise a national army for the American entry into World War I.
  • Convoy System

    Merchant vessels sailing together for protection whether it be with or without a naval escort.
  • Espionage Act passed

    Espionage Act passed
    Made it a crime to convey any information that could interfere with the U.S. armed forces.
  • Russia pulls out of war

    Russia pulls out of war
    Vladimir Lenin overthrew the government and wanted to focus on building a communist state.
  • Period: to

    Flu Epidemic

    First of two deadly influenza pandemics that involved H1N1.
  • Fourteen Points Speech

    Fourteen Points Speech
    President Wilson set 14 points as a blueprint for world peace that could be used after the war ended.
  • Sedition Act passed

    Extended the Espionage Act to cover a larger range of offenses.
  • Germany signs armistice

    Germany signs armistice
    Ended the war between Allies and Germany on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.