Alliances
Definition
In the context of European history, alliances refer to formal agreements or treaties between two or more nations to cooperate for specific purposes, often for mutual defense against other powers.
Analogy
Think of alliances like a group project in school. Each member (or country) has their own strengths and weaknesses but they agree to work together to achieve a common goal - whether that's getting an A on the project or maintaining peace and security.
Related terms
Triple Alliance: This was a military alliance formed between Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary during World War I. It's like three friends promising to back each other up in a fight.
Triple Entente: This was another military alliance formed among Russia, France, and Great Britain in response to the Triple Alliance. Imagine these as another group of three friends who band together because they're worried about what the first group might do.
Central Powers: This term refers to Germany and its allies (Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire) during World War I. They were essentially one big team working against another team (the Allies).
"Alliances" appears in:
Subjects (2)
Practice Questions (6)
- To what extent did alliances formed by Italians city-states affect power dynamics within Europe during the late Middle Ages?
- How did political developments during the Renaissance period impact alliances formed during subsequent periods including Age Of Discovery?
- The influence of alliances during this period primarily manifested in what way related to scientific advancement?
- In what way did alliances formed during this period influence domestic events related to social reform movements within Europe?
- Which event triggered the series of alliances that lead to World War I?
- By comparing the Soviet Union's formation of the Warsaw Pact to other alliances in European history, which key feature is echoed?
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