June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, Francis Ferdinand, the Archduke of Austria Hungary was assassinated by a serbian terrorist group. This was seemingly the cause of World War I, but it was really just the spark that started the war in a Europe already inflamed by the true causes of the great war. Imperialism, Nationalism, Alliances, and Militarism were four main causes that drove Europe to war. These influences created the aggravated circumstances in which the assassination of Francis Ferdinand sparked a world war.
             One major factor leading up to the war was the system of alliances throughout Europe. Alliances created an apprehensive mood as countries allied and other countries allied in response to other alliances. The Central Powers Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy joined in the Triple Alliance. Brtain, France, and Russia joined in the Triple Entente, being known as the Allies. As a result, two nations going to war could bring all the countries within the alliance system to war. The alliances were formed to promote peace, making it unpractical to go to war as a country would have to face more than its initial enemy. This theoretically reasonable plan did not work.
             Imperialism was another cause of the Great War. Imperialism is the policy of taking control of foreign lands for their resources. Imperialism was practiced greaty in Europe as Great Britain, France, and Germany had need of foreign resources to fuel their industries. These countries competed for lands in Africa. France and Britain resolved their differences but there was still a dispute between Germany and Great Britain, as well as France. Tension began to arise as the prospect of fighting between these countries, and their allies, over land ownership became an apparent possibility.
             Militarism factored into World War I as well. Troubles started when Germany took on the task of building a navy to rival Great Britains. Germany was building ...