We are now about to plunge into one of the main topics of this year:

THE FIRST WORLD WAR.

No historical event is the result of only ONE  cause, that is why we shall be considering the main causes.

In this post we will collect different types of material related to the causes of WW1. 

We shall start by watching a Kahn Academy video on the Empires before WW1. 

Empires before World War I: Austria-Hungary. Ottoman empire. British, German, French and Russian empires

Watch the video and analyse the following points: 

1. What is the connection between land boundaries and linguistic boundaries in Europe now?

2. What difference does the historian establish between boundaries today and boundaries at the beginning of the XXth Century?

3. Which were the leading Empires at the beginning of the XXth Century? 

4. Which was the most powerful?

5. Which were the weakest Empires? 

6. Why were these Empires the weakest?

7. Write the name of at least 4 ethnic groups inside the Austro -Hungarian Empire. 

•  BRING YOUR ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS ON A SHEET OF PAPER FOR OUR CLASS ON TUESDAY, MARCH 10TH. 

Now, let’s move on!

We are now familiar with the Empires at the beginning of the XXth Century and with their strengths and weaknesses. 

We will now take a look at the system of alliances. The following video will throw some light on the alliance system. 

• Watch the video and answer the questions which follow:

Which cause does the historian in the video analyse in full?

Which other causes are mentioned in the lecture?

How old was the German Empire when the Dual Alliance Treaty was signed?

Why were the Germans paranoid in 1879 according to the lecture? What is the term used to refer to that “fear” the Germans had?

Which countries formed the Triple Entente? Which the Triple Alliance?

What was peculiar about Italy’s role in the war?

It’s time to look into the short term causes of WW1. For the short term causes you will work on a doc named “Short Term Causes WW1”. 

In that doc you will collect info and answer questions on specific topics as regards:

1. The First Moroccan Crisis. 

2. The Second Moroccan Crisis.

3. The Naval and Arms Race. 

4. The Balkans Crisis. 

5. The Murder at Sarajevo. 

To round up the causes of WW1, you will work on the creation of a Lino where you will include a description of the causes of WW1. Apart from the description, you should also include your analysis on the importance of each of the causes included.

DUE DATE: April 24th

A final bonus, watch this final video to see how everything we’ve been discussing finally falls into place, unfortunately for war to start. 

WW1 Begins.

It’s now time to create YOUR own WW1 post. Since you will be posting in your own blog, I will give you a list of what I would like you to include. Added to that, you may include any other image, video, quote or collage that you find relevant to the Causes of WW1.

1. Embed the Lino you did with an explanation of what that Lino contains.

2. Add the link to the last video that rounds up the causes of the war and together with it a short commentary on the value of the video.

3. Embed the Pearltree of the Causes of WW1.

WW1, by lennyambrosini

4. On a sheet of paper make a plan for your 1st essay. Take a picture of it and share it in that same post. That image will be followed by your very 1st essay!!

 Good Luck!! 😉