The causes of World War I: alliances, militarism, empires and nationalism
Grade 10 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
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Cards A to E, summaries in our words, written today, except card B. Card A (causes named by historians): Long-term causes include alliances that split Europe in two; militarism, shown in the naval race and in large conscript armies; imperial rivalry, in which Germany sought the status of a world power and Britain saw its navy as a threat; and nationalism in the Balkans. The assassination of June 28, 1914 is called the trigger. Card B, two invented readings, made up for this sheet and not from any historian. Reading X: "The war came mainly because Germany's leaders chose to risk war in 1914." Reading Y: "The war came mainly because the alliances turned a local crisis into a general one." Card C (the Balkans and Russia): Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia sought to bring in their peoples still under Ottoman rule. Russia's setback in the Bosnian Crisis of 1908 to 1909 and its need to protect Serbia or lose the Balkans shaped its choices in July 1914. Card D (Berlin): In August 1914 the military and political leadership of Germany concluded that war should be risked "now or never." Germany supported Austria-Hungary and Russia stood by Serbia. The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 held Germany responsible for the war in its war guilt clause. Card E (the road to 1914): France and Russia allied in 1894. Britain aligned with France in 1904 and Russia in 1907. The dreadnought race began in 1906. The assassination was on June 28, 1914. 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. Britain declared war on Germany on August 4.
Card A calls the assassination the trigger and lists long-term causes. Ari asks how a historian can say both mattered.
- The long-term causes made the war certain, so the trigger made no difference
- The trigger mattered more, since without it the war would not have started that summer
- Long-term causes made a wider war possible; the trigger set off this crisis
- Each cause explains one fifth of the war, a fair share among five items
Card D says Germany's leaders risked war "now or never," and card C says Russia had to protect Serbia. Bo asks how both can be true.
- Each leadership saw its own stakes at risk, so both saw reasons to act
- Germany risked war because Russia had mobilized, as card C shows
- They cancel out, since two sides cannot both be driven by fear at the same time
- Card C shows Russia chose war, and card D shows Germany merely responded to it
Reading X says Germany's choice mattered most; reading Y says the alliances did. Jun asks which cards help X.
- Card E's dates, which show alliances formed years before the war began
- Card C, which reports Russia's setback of 1908 to 1909 in the Balkans
- Card A's list of long-term causes, since Germany's aims are named in it
- Card D, where Germany's leaders decide in August 1914 to risk war
Reading Y says the alliances turned a local crisis into a general one. Kira asks which facts fit Y best.
- The Treaty of Versailles, which blamed one side and so shows one cause for the whole war
- Britain's guarantee to Belgium, which came from the 1904 Entente and tied Britain to France
- Germany backed Austria-Hungary and Russia backed Serbia, so one war drew in the others
- Germany's navy, which made Britain choose a side in the alliance system before the crisis
A student says: "The war started because of one assassination." Using cards A and E, Milo asks how the claim fares.
- It holds, since the assassination was the first event in the chain on card E
- It fails, since the assassination was a long-term cause of the war
- It holds, since war came 37 days after the assassination and followed from it
- It goes too far: card A lists long-term causes and card E earlier alliances
A student says: "Germany caused the war, since its leaders said war should be risked." Using card D, Noah asks how the claim fares.
- It goes beyond card D, which reports a view in August 1914, not a first act
- It fails, since card D shows Russia stood by Serbia and so acted first
- It holds, since leaders who say war should be risked have chosen it
- It holds, since the Treaty of Versailles later held Germany responsible
A student says: "Britain declared war because of the dreadnought race." Using cards C and E, Pia asks how the claim fares.
- It fails, since Britain had 29 dreadnoughts to Germany's 17, a safe lead
- It holds, since Britain saw Germany's fleet as a threat to its security
- It goes beyond the cards: the race was a tension, but Belgium tipped Britain
- It holds, since the race began in 1906 and the war came eight years later
Card E: war in 1914, the Entente in 1904 and 1907, and the Franco-Russian alliance in 1894. Ren asks what the span of dates shows.
- The span shows the war could not be avoided after 1907, when the blocs were set
- Alliances took 20 years to build, so the blocs were not made in a day
- The blocs formed in 7 years, from 1907 to 1914, once Britain had joined
- The blocs were built for war, since they formed over 20 years and ended in war
Card D quotes Germany's leaders: "now or never." The war guilt clause came in 1919. Tala asks what the two together can show.
- That Russia and Britain agreed with Germany's reading, since they won
- That Germany's leaders expected the treaty's terms, since they spoke in 1914
- That Germany was solely responsible, since both sources point at Germany
- A reason seen in 1914 and a judgment made in 1919; neither is a full account
Card E dates the ultimatum July 23 and Britain's declaration August 4. Zee asks what the 12 days between them show.
- About a week passed, since July 28 to August 4 is seven days, so the crisis was brief
- The speed shows the war was planned in advance, since the steps came days apart
- Britain delayed until August 4 because it expected the war to stay small
- Declarations followed within 12 days, which shows speed but not who chose it
