The causes of World War I: alliances, militarism, empires and nationalism

Grade 10 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Cards A to D, all summaries in our words, written today. Card A (alliances): A unified Germany in 1871 disturbed the balance of power. France and Russia allied in 1894, and Germany drew closer to Austria-Hungary. Britain aligned with France in 1904 and with Russia in 1907, forming the Triple Entente, which stoked German fears of encirclement. Russia and Austria-Hungary were rivals in South Eastern Europe. Card B (the fleets): Germany began building a battle fleet in 1898. From 1906 the race with Britain focused on the dreadnought battleship. By 1914 Germany had 17 dreadnoughts and Britain 29. Britain saw Germany's naval expansion as a threat to its security and overseas interests. Card C (the summer of 1914): On June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip, backed from Serbia, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, in Sarajevo. Austria-Hungary sent Serbia an ultimatum on July 23 and declared war on July 28. Germany declared war on Russia on August 1 and on France on August 3, and invaded Belgium. Britain, which had guaranteed Belgium's neutrality since 1839, declared war on Germany on August 4. Card D (the Balkans): Serbia and other Balkan states sought to bring in their peoples still under Ottoman rule, following the nationalist successes of Germany and Italy. Russia suffered a setback in the Bosnian Crisis of 1908 to 1909. In July 1914 Russia had to protect Serbia or lose the Balkans.

2. 1.

   Card A comes from the Imperial War Museums. Ari asks what it can show about why Britain joined France and Russia.

   • When Britain aligned and how Germany saw it, not why British leaders chose it
   • That Britain went to war in 1914 because of the Entente, since it was made in 1904
   • Why British leaders chose the Entente, since card A says it stoked German fears
   • How many soldiers each alliance had, since card A names the members
3. 2.

   Card C lists dates from July and August 1914. Bo asks what a timeline can and cannot show about why Germany declared war on Russia.

   • That Russia moved first, since card D says Russia had to protect Serbia
   • The order of declarations, not the reasons behind them
   • That Germany acted to defend Austria-Hungary, since it declared war after July 28
   • Germany's reasons, since each declaration follows an act by another power
4. 3.

   Card B is a museum summary of the naval race. Esme asks what it says about why Germany built the fleet.

   • That Germany built it to protect its alliance, as card A suggests about its fears
   • That Germany built it to threaten Britain, since Britain saw it as a threat
   • Little; it dates the fleet and gives Britain's view of it, not Germany's reasons
   • That Germany lost the race, since it had 17 dreadnoughts to Britain's 29
5. 4.

   A student says Britain went to war only because of Belgium. What does card C show, Jun asks?

   • Belgium mattered because of Britain's 1839 guarantee, but card A shows the Entente too
   • Belgium mattered because Britain had allied with Belgium in 1904, along with France
   • Belgium did not matter, since the Entente already bound Britain to fight
   • Belgium explains it entirely, since Britain declared war on August 4, right after the invasion
6. 5.

   Which claim do cards C and D back about the Balkans, Kira asks?

   • Russia protected Serbia in order to win the Bosnian Crisis of 1908 to 1909
   • Nationalism in the Balkans and Russia's stake in Serbia fed the Sarajevo crisis
   • Serbia's government planned the assassination, since Princip was backed from Serbia
   • Germany's navy caused the crisis in the Balkans, as card B says about the fleets
7. 6.

   A student says card A shows Germany alone caused the alliances. What does card A show, Luz asks?

   • Germany made the alliances, since its unification came before them in 1871
   • Unification in 1871 disturbed the balance, but several states made alliances
   • Fear of encirclement was the whole cause of the alliances
   • France and Russia allied in 1904, and Britain and France in 1894
8. 7.

   Britain aligned with France in 1904 and Russia in 1907 (card A) and declared war on August 4, 1914 (card C). Pia asks which reading the dates support.

   • The Entente was made in order to fight in 1914, since war followed 7 years later
   • The Entente came 7 to 10 years earlier, so it raised the risk but was not the trigger
   • The Entente forced Britain to fight on August 4, since allies must join a war
   • The alliance began 20 years earlier, in 1894, so Britain had been bound to France and Russia for 20 years
9. 8.

   Card B gives 17 German and 29 British dreadnoughts in 1914. Ren asks what the counts show about the race.

   • Britain led by 12 percent, since 29 is 12 more than 17
   • Britain kept a lead of 12 ships, about 1.7 times Germany's count
   • Germany lost the race, so it had reason to fight before Britain grew stronger
   • Britain's lead was enough to prevent war, since it had far more ships
10. 9.

    Card C dates the assassination to June 28 and Britain's declaration of war to August 4. Tala asks what the 37 days show.

    • One month passed, since June 28 to July 28 is when the war began for the powers involved
    • A local act became a European war in 37 days; the cards show no one's plan
    • The war was planned in advance, since just 37 days passed from assassination to war
    • Britain waited 37 days to decide, since it had made up its mind in 1904
11. 10.

    France and Russia allied in 1894 (card A), and the war came in 1914. Zee asks what the 20 years show about alliances.

    • The alliances lasted 10 years, since the Entente of 1904 began them
    • Twenty years of peace shows alliances keep the peace, as the dates show
    • The alliances made war certain from 1894, so 1914 merely triggered it
    • Alliances stood 20 years without a general war, so they were not enough alone