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The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Ferdinand was the heir for the Austrian-Hungarian throne. He and his wife were fatally wounded by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb. The assassination ultimately started World War I. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The Lusitania was a British boat sunk by a German U-Boat torpedo. 1,198 people were killed; 128 of them being Americans. The sinking caused moral outrage in Britain and America and led the U.S. to declare war on Germany. -
Zimmerman Note
The Zimmerman Note was a secret diplomatic telegraph issued from the German Foreign Office that proposed a military alliance with Mexico. -
America Declares War
President Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. On April 6th, 1917 the U.S. was formally at war with Germany. -
Creation of CPI
Woodrow Wilson created the Committee on Public Information (CPI) to influence public opinion to support the U.S. participation in World War I. The CPI recruited people under the leadership us the muckraking journalist George Creel. -
Selective Service Act
The Selective Service Act authorized the U.S. government to raise a national army for service in World War I. -
Espionage Act
The Espionage Act imposed punishment for anyone who spoke or acted against the government or military. It was passed shortly after the U.S. entered World War I. -
American Troops Enter Europe
The first 14,000 U.S. troops land in France at the port of Saint Nazaire. President Wilson appointed Major General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing commander of the AEF (American Expeditionary Forces). -
Wilson's 14 Points
The Fourteen Points was a statement of principles for peace that was to be used for peace negotiations to end World War I. The principles were outlined in a speech by Woodrow Wilson to the U.S. Congress. -
Second Battle of Marne
The Second Battle of Marne was the first allied offensive victory. -
Paris Peace Conference
The Paris Peace Conference was called to establish the terms of the peace after World War I. Even though nearly 30 nations participated in the conference, the U.S., France, Italy, and the United Kingdom became known as the "Big Four" that dominated the proceedings that led to the formulations of the Treaty of Versailles. -
Rejection of the Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty that brought WWI to an end. The U.S. rejected the Treaty of Versailles and didn't join the League of Nations because the U.S. was afraid membership would only drag them into more European wars.