America's Involvment

On January 16, 1917 Germany attempted to send a telegram to Mexico telling them that they want to fight together. Germany said that they would financially support Mexico if they helped attack America and win, they would then regain their territory that the United States took from them. While this telegram was being sent Britain intercepted it, and filled America in on Germanys plot. On April 6th, 1917 the United States declared war on Germany. To prepare for the war the Selective Service Act was made. This act drafted young men into the military. Also the American Expeditionary Force or the AEF was formed. These men served in France under a completely different control then the other military men.

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/uncle-sam/images/uncle-sam.jpg

World War 1 (cont)

By September nineteenth, 1914 the war had reached a stalemate. A stalemate is a situation in which no side can advance. Both sides had dug trenches and they were separated by no mans land. Solders were most likely not going to survive in no mans land because it was swept constantly with machine gun and sniper fire. Because America did not want to become involved in the fighting President Wilson declared the United States neutral on August fourth, 1914. Meanwhile the German U-boats or submarines were bombing the other side’s ships. On May, 7 1915 a German U-boat sank a British passenger liner, The Lusitania. One hundred and twenty eight Americans were on the ship, and this brought the United States closer to getting involved in the War.

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/snpwwi2.htm

World War 1

World War One was fought through the years of 1914 till 1918. It was also known as The Great War or The War to end all Wars. The main cause for World War One was the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand in Sarajevo, Bosnia on June 28, 1914. He was shot by Gavrilo Princip, a nineteen year old Bosnian nationalist who believed that Austria Hungry had no right to rule Bosnia. This was the spark of the war. Austria Hungry was convinced that Serbia was behind the Archdukes assassination. On July 24, 1914 Austria Hungry declared war on Serbia. Austria Hungry had Germany and the Ottoman Empire/Turkey on their side and they made up the Triple Alliances or the Central Powers. Britain, Russia, France and Italy were on Serbia’s side and they made up the triple Entente or the allies.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire occurred on March twenty fifth, 1911. It was the largest industrial disaster in New York City up until September eleventh 2001. During the afternoon a fire started on the eighth floor, the cause is not known, but people believe it was either started from a cigarette, match or a faulty electrical wire. The doors were chained shut so people could not take unnecessary breaks. The windows were nailed shut to prevent people from throwing clothes out of the window in an attempt to steal. So when the fire started not many women were able to get out of the building alive, one hundred and forty eight people were killed by either burning to death or jumping out of a window.

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http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire/