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SARAJEVO, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
Sarajevo is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It's super old and has a lot of history. Back in the 90s, there was a big war there, and the U.S. helped to stop it. Now, the U.S. wants to make sure that bad stuff doesn't happen there again and that everyone gets along. -
Great Britain declared war on Germany
Great Britain declared war on Germany because Germany invaded Poland. The U.S. didn't join the war right away, but they cared because Germany was being mean to other countries and the U.S. wanted to stop them. Eventually, the U.S. joined the war to help Great Britain and other countries fight against Germany. -
RMS Lusitania was torpedoed
During World War I, a German U-boat torpedoed the British passenger ship Lusitania, killing over 1,100 people, including 128 Americans. This event angered many Americans and made them more sympathetic to the Allied cause. Although it wasn't the sole reason, the sinking of the Lusitania played a significant role in bringing the United States into the war in 1917. -
Democratic U.S. President Woodrow Wilson narrowly defeated Republican Charles E. Hughes in the U.S. presidential election.
Wilson was the first Democratic president to win a second consecutive term since Andrew Jackson in 1832. Vice-president Thomas R. Marshall also earned the distinction of becoming the first vice-president of any party elected to a second term since John C. Calhoun in 1828. -
British naval intelligence intercepted and decrypted a telegram sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German Ambassador in Mexico City.
It told Mexico to ask Japan to join in the new alliance and therefore attack the United States as well. This affected the U.S because now had more countries to worry about. -
the United States declared war on the German Empire
The U.S. joined World War I in 1917 after Germany kept sinking American ships. This made many Americans angry. The U.S. sent soldiers to fight in Europe, which helped the Allies win the war. -
First US troops arrive in France.
The first American troops arrived in France in 1917. They were excited to help the Allies win the war, but also nervous about fighting in a foreign land. The arrival of these fresh troops boosted the morale of the Allies and put pressure on the German army. -
World War I Ends
World War I ended in 1918 with the defeat of Germany. The U.S. played a key role in the Allied victory. After the war, the U.S. became a world power and began to play a more active role in global affairs. -
The Sedition Act of 1918
The Sedition Act of 1918 made it illegal to criticize the government or the war effort. People could be arrested and jailed for speaking out against the war or the government. This law limited free speech and made many Americans feel like their rights were being taken away. -
The Versailles Peace Treaty, signed on June 28, 1919, officially ended World War I.
The Treaty of Versailles punished Germany for starting the war. Germany had to pay huge amounts of money, give up land, and accept blame for the war. The U.S. did not sign the treaty because many Americans wanted to stay out of European affairs.