Lesson overviewLesson overview

Historians have several theories Historians have several theories about what caused the start of WWI, about what caused the start of WWI, which they often group into 3 which they often group into 3 categories: trigger events, short-categories: trigger events, short-term & long-term causes.term & long-term causes.Assassination of Archduke Franz

Ferdinand

Alliance system

Arms race

Why was the Why was the Archduke Archduke

assassinated?assassinated?L0sL0s

To identify 3 main causes of To identify 3 main causes of the outbreak of WWI and the outbreak of WWI and

judge which was most judge which was most importantimportant

LOs

Key words: assassination alliance arms race

Photograph of Archduke Franz Ferdinand & his wife Sophie taken

moments before his death

What happened on 28 What happened on 28 June 1914?June 1914?

On a bright summer’s day, 28 June 1914, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, heirs to one of the wealthiest empires in Europe got into their car and drove through the elegant streets of Sarajevo in Bosnia. The couple were extremely happy that day – it was their wedding anniversary.

Artist’s impression of the moment when Gavrilo Princip stepped forward to the car and shots the Archduke in the

chest, and Sophie in the stomach.

Both died within minutes from their wounds. Two bullets were about to lead to the deaths of a further 20 million men!

Archduke’s bloodstained jacket

Gavrilo Princip, Serbian terrorist

How did the Alliance system lead to How did the Alliance system lead to war?war?

Triple Entente

Triple Alliance

Britain

Russia

France& Serbia

Germany

Austria-Hungary

Italy

Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia

Russia mobilises its army & declares war on Austria-Hungary

Germany helps its ally, Austria-Hungary & declares war on Russia

France & Britain help their allies and declare war on Germany & Austria-Hungary ….

How did military arms race How did military arms race cause war?cause war?

Some historians think the causes of Some historians think the causes of World War One go back even World War One go back even further, to the late nineteenth further, to the late nineteenth century when countries like century when countries like Germany & Britain were building up Germany & Britain were building up their empires and their armies and their empires and their armies and were determined to show the world were determined to show the world who was boss!who was boss!

Extension taskExtension task

Discuss with your partner what you Discuss with your partner what you

think was the most think was the most significantsignificant cause of the war.cause of the war.

Your taskYour task

You are going to hold a debate on who or You are going to hold a debate on who or what was most to blame for starting the what was most to blame for starting the First World War. Divide into 7 groups. First World War. Divide into 7 groups. Nominate a person who will be your Nominate a person who will be your representative in the debate. 1 group representative in the debate. 1 group will suggest the assassination was the will suggest the assassination was the cause, another group will argue it was cause, another group will argue it was the alliance system, the other groups will the alliance system, the other groups will suggest it was the military build-up and suggest it was the military build-up and political ambitions of their opponents.political ambitions of their opponents.

starter activity

You are about to hold a class debate

on who was to blame for the start of

World War One. How can you ensure your team wins the

debate?

Possible waysPossible ways

Make sure everyone in the team is Make sure everyone in the team is clear about their roleclear about their role

Make your points using clear and Make your points using clear and convincing languageconvincing language

Use lots of factual examples to back Use lots of factual examples to back up your pointsup your points

Think about what points your Think about what points your opponents may use to undermine your opponents may use to undermine your arguments and have ready-made arguments and have ready-made responsesresponses

HomeworkHomework

Produce a newspaper front page Produce a newspaper front page describing the outbreak of WWI. describing the outbreak of WWI. Decide if you are a quality or tabloid Decide if you are a quality or tabloid newspaper. Refer to all 3 major newspaper. Refer to all 3 major causes and indicate you think most causes and indicate you think most explains why was has broken out.explains why was has broken out.

You may wish to include interviews You may wish to include interviews with eye-witnesses or refer to with eye-witnesses or refer to background events in the news too.background events in the news too.

OK – but OK – but you’ve still you’ve still got a way to got a way to gogo

Getting Getting better – but better – but still room for still room for improvementimprovement

WOW factor!WOW factor!

You outline You outline the basic the basic story of the story of the assassinatioassassination of the n of the ArchdukeArchduke

You have set You have set your work your work out as a out as a newspapernewspaper

You include You include references to references to the alliance the alliance networks and networks and military build-military build-up as well as up as well as the the assassination. assassination. Effective use Effective use of ICT, but of ICT, but there may there may still be space still be space for more for more detail.detail.

Excellent Excellent factual details factual details and full range and full range of causes. of causes. Written in a Written in a clear and clear and appropriate appropriate register. register. Effective use of Effective use of ICT, e.g. ICT, e.g. catchy catchy headline, headline, images and images and references to references to background background events. No events. No blank spacesblank spaces