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The death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg were assassinated in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914. This caused a domino effect of events which later lead to World War 1, the United States chose to stay out of the war. -
The beginning to neutrality
Most Americans preferred to continue using neutrality. When the war broke out in Europe, the United States instantly declared neutrality. For a century, the U.S. had stayed out of European affairs. However this had to come to an end due to being disrupted by war going on in Europe at the time. -
The German submarine
The United States felt threatened because they had U.S. citizens on the ship and this event was one of the few reasonings behind why the U.S. went to war. The German submarine U-20 rapidly sank the Lusitania, a British cruise traveling from Ney York to Liverpool including the loss of 123 American lives. -
Presidential election
Democratic representative Woodrow Wilson narrowly defeated Evans Hughes, the Republican candidate at the time. This was a massive event because the two candidates had big differences in their beliefs. Wilson chose to lead America into war in order to “make the world safe for democracy.” -
Telegram
British military intercepted and and broke down a telegram sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann. The telegram influenced the United States into World War I. The British originally held onto the telegram to hide from U.S. officials so they didn't reveal that they had cracked the German code. -
The U.S. declared war
On April 6, 1917, the U.S. passed a declaration of war against Germany, entering World War I. The US entered the war to respond to Germany's submarine war, the U.S. also responded to the interception of the British telegram. The U.S. had now entered war and other allies have joined in to protect the U.S. -
The fight
On June 25, 1917, the first 14,000 U.S. infantry troops landed in France at the port of Saint Nazaire. The American military entering into the war played a significant role in gaining edge in favor of the Allies. The events of June 25, 1917, set the stage for the defeat of the German Empire and the end of World War I. -
Sedition Act
On May 16, 1918, the U.S. passed the Sedition Act of 1918. It prohibited any disloyal or abusive language about the U.S. government. The Sedition Act of 1918 resulted in free speech and press freedoms, leading to the arrest of thousands of citizens who were seen as threats to the war propaganda. -
War is over
On November 11, 1918, the Armistice of Compiègne was signed, signaling the end of World War I. This agreement brought an end to the fighting. This marked a big turning point in history, bringing an end to one of the deadliest conflicts the world has ever seen. -
Treaty of Versailles
On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed at the Palace of Versailles, officially ending World War I. This treaty created cruel penalties on Germany, such ass territorial losses. It also established the League of Nations, aimed at promoting peace and preventing future conflicts.