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Causes of WWi Mini-Q
What Was the Underlying
Cause of World War I?
Reynold's Newspaper, London, March 9,1913.
Overview: In the summer of 1914 Europe went to war with itself. It was a war that many expected to
be short. In fact, it lasted more than four long, terrible years, taking the lives of millions of combatants
and civilians. In some cases, entire high school graduating classes of young English, French, German,
and Russian soldiers died fighting one another along the Western and Eastern Fronts. In this Mini-Q
you will investigate several of the causes that led to this tragedy.
The Documents:
Document A: European Alliances, 1914 (map)
Document B: "The Crime of the Ages" (cartoon)
Document C: Growth in Armaments, 1890-1914 (chart)
Document D: The hammer or the anvil, 1899
Document E: "The British Octopus" (cartoon)
Document F: Colonial Possessions (chart)
A Mini Document Based Question (Mini-Q)
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Causes of WWI Mini-Q
Hook Exercise: What Was the Underlying Cause of World War I?
Directions: Wars have been fought throughout history. The list below presents different reasons for
going to war. Check whether you agree or disagree that the reason given is a good one. Feel free to
make notes. Be prepared to discuss your thoughts.
Agree Disagree
1. Our nation is attacked by a foreign military.
D
2. A nation with whom we have a mutual
defense alliance is attacked.
3. Our President is assassinated by a terrorist
from an unfriendly nation.
Notes
D
D
n
4. Our President tells us that a country is
planning an imminent attack on us.
5. A country has just had a fundamentalist
revolution and is sending fighters into
oil-producing nations in the region.
6. An unfriendly nation has just successfully
tested a nuclear weapon in violation of a
signed UN agreement.
n
7. A US naval vessel is sunk in a foreign
harbor by government agents from that
country.
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Causes of WWi Mini-Q
Background Essay
What Was the Underlying Cause of World War I?
At the turn of the 20th century Europe was
feeling pretty darned good. It controlled empires
that circled the globe. Its technology was unsurpassed. Its art and music were the envy of the
world. In 1900, Europeans believed the world
was their oyster.
But this feeling was not to last. By the
end of 1918, after four long years of war, European confidence was badly shaken. Ten million
soldiers had died, another 20 million had been
wounded. Empires that had lasted for centuries
lay in tatters. Writers wrote of broken dreams.
Europe had entered the Great War riding on a
song. Now, in November of 1918, no one was
singing. What had gone wrong?
In the late 19th century European leaders
believed that by creating a balance of power
they could prevent such a horror. The idea was
that if the major powers of Europe - countries
like England, France, Russia, and Germany were balanced in strength, no one country could
dominate the rest. War could be avoided.
But Otto von Bismarck, the Chancellor
of Prussia who led the unification of the German states, did not like the fact that Germany
was sandwiched between Russia and France. To
counter this uncomfortable situation, Bismarck
created an alliance with Austria-Hungary and
Italy. In response, France, Russia, and Great
Britain formed their own entente. The great
players were picking sides.
The tension between countries was
matched by tension within countries. Especially
in southeastern Europe, in an area known as the
Balkans, the spirit of nationalism and independence ran high. Some ethnic groups revolted.
The region was a powder keg. All it lacked was
a spark to set it off. That spark was provided
by a Serbian nationalist group called the Black
Hand. They wanted independence from their
mother country, Austria-Hungary. Their solution? Assassinate the Archduke of Austria when
he came to visit.
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On the morning of June 28, 1914, the
Archduke's car was fired upon by one of the
Serbian assassins. Archduke Franz Ferdinand
and his wife were killed. The Black Hand hoped
the assassination would trigger a rebellion that
would lead to Serbian independence. But this
spark in the Balkans soon flamed out of control.
One thing led to another and soon all of Europe
was at war.
Austrian leaders demanded apologies
from Serbia,' „;'* '^,;,
W '
An angry Serbia received a promise of help
from Russia. . * - • • '
On July 28 Austria-Hungary declared war
~ ~
on Serbia. - /
' '
'<
* T
Russia declared war on Austria-Hungary.
, T
Germany declared war on Russia.
T
France declared war on Germany and
Austria-Hungary.
V
Britain joined France and Russia.
' ' T
-'' ' " " ~ ,
Europe was at war!
Four long years and 10 million lives later,
Europe looked for answers. What had gone
wrong?
This Mini-Q contains six documents. It does
not pretend to cover all the underlying causes of
World War I. (Nationalism, for example, is not
included). Your task is to identify and describe
each of three important causes that are represented and then answer the question before us:
What was the underlying cause of World War I?
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Causes of WWI Mini-Q
Background Essay Questions
1. What is meant by the phrase "In 1900 Europeans believed the world was their oyster"?
2. World War I lasted four years. What were the war years?
3. The population of Chicago is about 3,000,000. How does that compare to the total number of dead
and wounded in World War I? (Give your answer as a fraction.)
4. Why might a balance of power prevent war?
5. Otto von Bismarck once said that a great war might someday be caused by "some damned foolish
thing in the Balkans." Was he right? Explain.
6. How did the assassination of the Archduke of Austria-Hungary lead to war between Russia and
Germany?
7. Define these terms:
balance of power
entente
Balkans
nationalism
ethnic
spark
Timeline
1858 - Full British rule of India begins.
1865 - End of American Civil War
1871 - Franco-Prussian War (France v. Germany)
1902 - End of Boer War between British and South African Dutch
1914 - Beginning of World War I (also known as the Great War)
1918-End of World War I
1919 - Versailles Peace Treaty
1939 - Beginning of World War H
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Causes of WWI Mini-Q
Understanding the Question and Pre-Bucketing
Understanding the Question
1. What is the analytical question asked by this Mini-Q?
2. What terms in the question need to be defined?
3. Rewrite the question in your own words.
Pre-Bucketing
Directions: Using clues from the Mini-Q question, consider possible analytical categories and label
the buckets.
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Causes of WWI Mini-Q
Document A
Source: Map created from various sources.
European Alliances, 1914.
Triple Alliance
Triple Entente
[ ' . : "| Neutral nations
Mediterranean Sea
AFRICA
Document Analysis
1. The map shows the alliance arrangement in Europe in 1914. In what year did World War I begin?
2. What countries made up the Triple Alliance? What countries made up the Triple Entente?
3. Germany worried about one day having to fight a war on two fronts or two different borders.
According to the map, was this fear justified?
4. Italy would switch sides in 1915. Whom did this hurt?
5. If this map were your only evidence, how could you use it to describe one possible underlying cause
of World War I?
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Causes of WWI Mini-Q
Document B
Source: John T. McCutcheon, artist, Chicago Tribune, August 5, 1914.
THE CHTCAGO DAILY TBIBTTNTR: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5 191*
THE CRIME OF THE AGES. WHO BID IT?
Document Analysis
1. What is the significance of the date of this cartoon? What is the name and nationality of the
cartoonist? Explain their significance.
2. What is the "Crime of the Ages"?
3. How can the cartoon be used to describe the chain of events that led to war?
4. What does the hand in the upper left corner represent?
5. According to the cartoon, what was the underlying cause for war? Explain.
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Causes of WWI Mini-Q
Document C
Source: Adapted from The London Times History of the World, new edition edited by Richard Overy, 1999.
Growth in Armaments, 1890-1914
in British pounds (£)
120100-
Navy
G Germany
A-H Austria-Hungary
I Italy
80-
Army
u
c
G A-H I
GB R
1890
F
GB Great Britain
R Russia
F France
G A-H I
GB R
1900
F
G A-H I
GB
R
F
G A-H I
1910
GB
R
F
1914
Note: By 1914 the Entente Powers could field 2.23 million men, Germany and Austria-Hungary 1.2 million.
Document Analysis
1. In millions of British pounds, how much did Germany and Austria-Hungary spend in 1890?
In 1914?
2. How much did Great Britain, Russia, and France spend in 1890? In 1914?
3. Which nation spent the greatest percent on its navy? Why would it do that?
4. Is there evidence in the chart to support the thesis that an arms build-up (militarism) was an
underlying cause of World War I? Explain.
5. How can an argument be made that an arms build-up might lead to peace? Explain.
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Causes of WWI Mini-Q
Document D
Source: Bernhard von Bulow, German Chancellor, spoke these words in a speech before the Reichstag (German
congress) on December 11,1899.
In our nineteenth century, England has increased its colonial
empire - the largest the world has seen since the days of the
Romans ... the French have put down roots in North Africa and
East Africa ... Russia has begun its mighty course of victory in
Asia .... We don't want to step on the toes of any foreign power,
but at the same time we don't want our own feet tramped by any
foreign power .... We don't ever again want to become ... the
'slaves of humanity.' But we'll only be able to keep ourselves
at the fore if we realize that there is no welfare for us without
power, without a strong army and a strong fleet. The means,
gentlemen, for a people of almost 60 million - dwelling in the
middle of Europe and, at the same time, stretching its economic
antennae out to all sides - to battle its way through in the struggle
for existence without strong armaments on land and at sea, have
not yet been found. In the coming century the German people
will be a hammer or an anvil.
Document Analysis
1. Why is von Billow worried about England, France, and Russia?
2. What is an anvil? What does von Billow mean when he says Germany will be "a hammer or
an anvil"?
3. Judging from the document, who is Germany likely to "hammer"?
4. One half-century earlier, the Englishman Charles Darwin introduced his idea of evolution, which
was based on the idea of survival of the fittest. Do you think von Billow believed in this idea?
Explain.
5. How can you use this document to make an argument that the arms build-up was a more important
underlying cause than the network of alliances?
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Causes of WWI Mini-Q
Document E
Source: German propaganda cartoon, 1917, GE104A, Poster Collection, Hoover Institution Archives.
The British Octopus
FREIHEIT DER MEERE.
»LANU
BUfZSAI HUM
DFHWUT.
fSfO S.Hrllrna
UmtOoo SCopc/crputm
Moffnuny,
1?l>l Gibraltar1?13 Sittrie-y
ffpfCotam&o
t8i4 Sinyrlfjarr
r*JJ JVrv StvJand
tin Aden-
fSfy GUjarrutirut
fS>K> Sar
tyo+ Tbnya //uWt
Freiheit Der Meere = Freedom of the seas
England Der Blutsauger der Welt= England, the bloodsucker of the world
Document Analysis
1. In what language, and in what year, was this cartoon created?
2. Translate each of the following:
Freiheit der Meere
. England der Blutsauger der Welt
3. What is the main point being made by the cartoonist?
4. In Document C, examine British naval expenses in 1914. Do the Germans have reason to worry
about freedom of the seas? Explain.
5. What does this document suggest is an underlying cause of World War I? Explain.
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Causes of WWI Mini-Q
Document F
Source: Adapted from Colin Nicolson, The First World War, Europe 1914-1918, Essex, England, Pearson Education
Limited, 2001.
Size of Colonial Empires in 1913
Area (sq. miles)
Population of Colonies
Britain
12,740,000
400,000,000
France
4,440,000
56,000,000
Germany
1,139,000
12,000,000
Belgium
927,000
15,500,000
Italy
579,000
1,600,000
USA
125,000
10,000,000
Austria-Hungary
0
0
Russia
0
0
Document Analysis
1. What was the total area of British colonies in 1913?
2. What was the combined area of colonies held by the nations of the Triple Entente? What was the
combined area of colonies held by Germany and Austria-Hungary?
3. In what different ways could a large colonial population help the economy of the mother country?
4. How can you use this document to argue that imperialism (colonization) was one underlying cause
of World War I?
5. How can you use Documents E and F to argue that colonialism was more important than alliances
and arms build-ups as the underlying cause of World War I?
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Causes of WWI Mini-Q
Bucketing - Getting Ready to Write
Bucketing
Look over all the documents and organize them into your final buckets. Write bucket labels
under each bucket and place the letters of the documents in the buckets where they belong. You
can put a document into more than one bucket (multi-bucketing), but you need a good reason for
doing so. Remember, your buckets are going to become your body paragraphs. In this particular
Mini-Q, you may want to organize your buckets so that the most important underlying cause is
in the last bucket (paragraph).
Thesis Development and Road Map
On the chicken foot below, write your thesis and your road map. Your thesis is always an opinion
that answers the Mini-Q question. The road map is created from your bucket labels and lists the topic
areas you will examine in order to prove your thesis.
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Causes of WWi Mini-Q
From Thesis to Essay Writing
Mini-Q Essay Outline Guide
Working Title
Paragraph #1
Grabber
Background
Stating the question with key terms defined
Thesis and road map
Paragraph #2
Baby Thesis
Evidence: Supporting detail from documents with document citation
Argument: Connecting evidence to the thesis
Paragraph #3
Baby Thesis
Evidence
Argument
Paragraph #4
Baby Thesis
Evidence
Argument
Paragraph #5
Conclusion: "Although" statement followed by convincing restatement of main idea
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Causes of WWI Mini-Q
Student Mini-Q Lined Paper
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Causes of WWI Mini-Q
Student Mini-Q Lined Paper
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Guided Essay: What Was the Underlying Cause of World War I?
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Grabber
B. Background (place, date, story):
C. Restatement of the question:
D. Thesis and Roadmap:
II. BODY PARAGRAPH #1 (Cause #1
)
A. Baby Thesis: One underlying cause of World War I was
B. Evidence: (Provide 2 or 3 pieces of data or information from the documents that illustrate
the claim of your baby thesis.)
C. Argument: This evidence supports the claim that (Cause #1
was an underlying cause of the war because
III. BODY PARAGRAPH #2 (Cause #2_
A. Baby Thesis: A second underlying cause of World War I was
B. Evidence: (Provide 2 or 3 pieces of data or information from the documents that illustrate
the claim of your baby thesis.)
C. Argument: This evidence supports the claim that (Cause #2
was an underlying cause of the war because
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IV. BODY PARAGRAPH #3 (Cause #3_
A. Baby Thesis: While
and
tant, the most basis underlying cause of World War I was
were impor.
B. Evidence: (Provide 2 or 3 pieces of data or information from the documents that illustrate
the claim of your baby thesis.)
C. Argument:
war because
(Cause #3) was the fundamental cause of the
V. CONCLUSION
A. Although statement:
Although there were other causes that contributed to World War I like nationalism which was
behind the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, the three important underlying causes
were—
(Cause #1),
(Cause #2) ,
and
(Cause #3).
B. Restate your argument for selecting cause #3 as the main underlying cause. Try to use new
words and show strong conviction.
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