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.

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

   • The order of declarations, not the reasons behind them
   • Germany's reasons, since each declaration follows an act by another power
   • That Russia moved first, since card D says Russia had to protect Serbia
   • That Germany acted to defend Austria-Hungary, since it declared war after July 28
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
   • 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
   • That Germany built it to threaten Britain, since Britain saw it as a threat
5. 4.

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

   • 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
   • Belgium mattered because Britain had allied with Belgium in 1904, along with France
   • Belgium mattered because of Britain's 1839 guarantee, but card A shows the Entente too
6. 5.

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

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

   Cards A and B both describe Britain and Germany in the 1900s. Milo asks what they show together.

   • The Entente caused the fleet race, since the alignment of 1904 came before the dreadnoughts
   • Britain joined with France and Russia, Germany built a fleet; each saw a threat
   • The fleet race ended the Entente, since both began in the same decade, the 1900s
   • Germany drew closer to Austria-Hungary while Britain built a fleet to match, so Britain began the race
8. 7.

   Card C says Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28. Card D says Russia had to protect Serbia. Noah asks what links them.

   • Russia's protection of Serbia caused Austria-Hungary to declare war
   • Russia declared war on Austria-Hungary on July 28, the same day
   • The war on Serbia pressed Russia to act, given its Balkan stakes in card D
   • Austria-Hungary declared war after Russia mobilized to protect Serbia
9. 8.

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

    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
    • 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
    • Britain kept a lead of 12 ships, about 1.7 times Germany's count
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 made war certain from 1894, so 1914 merely triggered it
    • Twenty years of peace shows alliances keep the peace, as the dates show
    • Alliances stood 20 years without a general war, so they were not enough alone
    • The alliances lasted 10 years, since the Entente of 1904 began them