Causes of World Causes of World War IWar I

The Great WarThe Great War

Causes of World War I

In your notebook, write today’s date and the lesson title: Causes of WWI

The Causes - Overview Historians usually cite the following

as causes of the war: Rivalries among the great powers and

other European countries caused by History (Resentment and Hatred) Imperialism Militarism Nationalism

Alliances brought about by the rivalries A spark (the assassination of the heir to

the Austrian throne)

The Rivalries We will focus on the following major

rivalries: Germany and France Austria and Russia Great Britain and Germany Serbia and Austria

Let’s learn about what caused them

Discussion One From the section of the text entitled “Rising

Tensions in Europe” (pp. 841-842) answer the following questions :

1. What led to the rivalry between France and Germany?2. What led to the rivalry between Austria and Russia?3. How did imperialism contribute to the tensions between

the European countries?4. What is “militarism”?5. How did militarism contribute to the tensions between

European countries?

Causes of World War ICauses of World War I

Militarism and Arms RaceMilitarism and Arms Race

Causes of WWI

Imperialism

Causes of WWICauses of WWI

Fervent Nationalism and the Fervent Nationalism and the Romanticizing of War.Romanticizing of War.

Primary Sources: Germany

Read the two primary source handouts: Kaiser Wilhelm’s “A Place in the Sun” Bernard von Bulow’s “Hammer and Anvil”

Answer the following questions in writing:

1. What is each man calling for in his speech?2. What might a non-German European be

afraid of listening to the two speeches?

Primary Source: Great Britain At the beginning of the 20th Century, Kaiser Wilhelm

“began a tremendous shipbuilding program in an effort to make the German navy equal to the mighty British fleet” (text 843)

Does this come as a surprise after your last reading? (it shouldn’t)

Read the primary source handout “Sir Edward Grey’s Speech to Parliament” and answer the following questions in writing: What was his reaction to the German shipbuilding program? What does he call for in his speech? Why do you think naval superiority was important to Britain? Based on the three sources you’ve read, what is the nature of

the rivalry between Germany and Great Britain?

Consider the Following 1 In 1871 Prussia (the most powerful German state) soundly

defeated France in a war During the war Prussian forces captured the king of France,

Napoleon III At the end of the war Prussian forces took Paris and Versailles,

the symbol of the French monarchy, where they made France sign an unfavorable peace treaty

The war resulted in the unification of Germany and the crowning of Kaiser Wilhelm which took place at Versailles

The terms of the treaty made France give up two provinces – Alsace and Lorraine – whose population was largely German but which were important economically to France

How do you think the French people felt about these events? How do you think they felt about Germany? What do you think they wanted in the future?

What is the nature of the rivalry between Germany and France?

Consider the Following 2 Ethnically, Austria is German Ethnically, Russia is Slavic Ethnically, the people living in the Balkan peninsula

are Slavic Ethnically, many people living under control of the

Austro-Hungarian empire were Slavic

Russia has no open warm water western ports For the Russian fleet to have open access to the

west, it had to exit the Black Sea through the narrow passages of the Bosporus and Dardanelles

The Balkan peninsula controls these narrow waterways

What do you think these facts have to do with the Russian-Austrian rivalry?

Primary Source: Serbian Nationalism

Read “The Crisis in the Balkans – A Restless Region” on p. 843 of the text and answer the following questions in writing:

1. Describe the factors that created the “crisis in the Balkans”2. How was the crisis related to nationalism.

Then read the primary source handout “The Narodna Obrana” and answer the following questions in writing:

1. Who did the Serbs see as their old enemy?2. Who do they see as their new enemy?3. What is the goal of the organization?

Consider both sources and answer the following question:

What was the nature of the Serbian-Austrian rivalry?

Group Discussion 1 Review all group members’ answers to the

questions from the 3 reading assignments. Clear up all questions (get help from Mr. Austin

if you need it)

Then discuss each rivalry (French-German, Austrian-Russian, Austrian-Serbian, German-British) in light of the six social studies perspectives: How might each rivalry be seen from each of the social

studies perspectives (economic, political, cultural, sociological, psychological, geographic)

Group Discussion 2 In light of the rivalries we have just

read about, what would you have sought to do if you were the leader of each country? Germany Austria Russia France Great Britain

Discussion Follow-Up

In fact, the countries sought defensive alliances (was that what you would have done?)

Read about them (Tangled Alliances pp. 842-843) and in writing: Describe the alliances that existed

between European countries during the period before the First World War. (you can do this individually or as a group)

Causes of WWI (cont.)Causes of WWI (cont.)

A Tangled Web of AlliancesA Tangled Web of Alliances

Pre WWI European Pre WWI European EventsEvents

January, 1871 Prussia and the January, 1871 Prussia and the German kingdoms are united into a German kingdoms are united into a single nation.single nation.

May, 1871 France is forced to sign a May, 1871 France is forced to sign a humiliating treaty with Germany humiliating treaty with Germany that ends the 1870-71 Franco that ends the 1870-71 Franco Prussian warPrussian war

1873- Germany, A-H, and Russia form 1873- Germany, A-H, and Russia form an alliance called the Three an alliance called the Three Emperors LeagueEmperors League

1878- Russia leaves the alliance, 1878- Russia leaves the alliance, leaving Germany and A-H in the leaving Germany and A-H in the Duel Alliance.Duel Alliance.

1881- Italy joins to form the triple 1881- Italy joins to form the triple alliancealliance

Italy forms a secret alliance with Italy forms a secret alliance with FranceFrance

1892 France and Russia form an 1892 France and Russia form an alliancealliance aimed specifically at aimed specifically at counteracting the potential threat counteracting the potential threat posed by the Triple Alliance of posed by the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy

1902 Great Britain, seeing Germany’s 1902 Great Britain, seeing Germany’s military gains, forms a military military gains, forms a military alliance with Japan,alliance with Japan, aimed squarely aimed squarely at limiting German colonial gains in at limiting German colonial gains in the east the east

1903 Serbia manages to end the 1903 Serbia manages to end the interference of A-H in it’s affairsinterference of A-H in it’s affairs

1904 Britain signs Entente Cordiale 1904 Britain signs Entente Cordiale with Francewith France

1905 Japan defeats Russia in the 1905 Japan defeats Russia in the Russo Japanese warRusso Japanese war

1907 – Great Britain and Russia agree 1907 – Great Britain and Russia agree to alliance, forming the Triple to alliance, forming the Triple EntenteEntente

Other relationships Other relationships affecting Europe:affecting Europe:

Russia and Serbia were traditional Russia and Serbia were traditional allies.allies.

1839 Treaty of London called for 1839 Treaty of London called for Great Britain, France, Austria and Great Britain, France, Austria and Prussia (Germany) to defend Prussia (Germany) to defend Belgium’s neutralityBelgium’s neutrality

1908 Austria-Hungary Annexes Bosnia1908 Austria-Hungary Annexes Bosnia

1912 Italy defeats Ottoman Empire, 1912 Italy defeats Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Empire cedes territories in Ottoman Empire cedes territories in AfricaAfrica

1912 Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria 1912 Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria fight off advances from Ottoman fight off advances from Ottoman EmpireEmpire

1913 Bulgaria becomes aggressor. 1913 Bulgaria becomes aggressor. Bulgaria’s former allies fight Bulgaria’s former allies fight Bulgaria off. Bulgaria off.

Reading Assignment 5

The Spark that Caused the War Read “A Shot Rings Throughout Europe”

(p.844) and “The Great War Begins” (p.845) and answer the following questions in writing:

1. Who was Gavrilo Princip, what did he do?2. Describe how his act led to war between Serbia and

Austria-Hungary.3. How did the war between Serbia and Austria-Hungary

lead to World War I?

In June of 1914, Archduke Franz In June of 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand traveled to Sarajevo for Ferdinand traveled to Sarajevo for an official visit. an official visit.

http://www.firstworldwar.com/video/ferdinand.htm

Ferdinand was shot by Serbian Ferdinand was shot by Serbian terrorist terrorist Gavrilo Princip immediately immediately following a reception for the following a reception for the Archduke at Sarajevo's Town HallArchduke at Sarajevo's Town Hall,, setting off setting off the chain ofthe chain of events that events that led to the outbreak of war in late led to the outbreak of war in late July 1914.  July 1914.  (FirstWorldWar.com)(FirstWorldWar.com)

June, 1914:June, 1914:

http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/maps/index.html