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Causes of the First World War

Driving Question: What caused World War I?

Militaries grew, alliances were cemented, and tensions rose across continents. When war finally came, it was no accident; it was the result of systems pushed to the breaking point.

Learning Objectives

  1. Use the historical thinking skill of contextualization to understand the time, place, and circumstances under which the First World War began.
  2. Use the historical thinking skill of causation to evaluate the factors that led to the outbreak of World War I.
  3. Use image-analysis skills to assess how propaganda was used in World War I.

Vocab Terms:

  • alliance
  • casualty
  • conscription
  • diplomacy
  • interdependence
  • mobilization
  • propaganda
  • total war
STEP 1

Opener: Causes of the First World War

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 2 of the Lesson 6.2 Teaching Guide Locked .

Check out this thread How do you use maps in your classroom? External link for ideas on incorporating maps into your teaching.

Use your knowledge of the nineteenth century and a 1914 political cartoon to make predictions about the coming war. Who’s involved—and what might happen next?

STEP 2

The Guns of August

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 3 of the Lesson 6.2 Teaching Guide Locked .

Use the Three-Step Reading Worksheet to help evaluate what kinds of supports students need in unpacking texts.

Unpack the tangled web of alliances, rivalries, and political choices that led to war in 1914. These resources will help you sort through long-term causes and immediate sparks.

How World War I Started External link

This video breaks down how a regional conflict turned into a global war. Learn how alliances, war plans, and nationalist movements made peace hard to keep.

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
STEP 3

A War to End All Wars

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 5 of the Lesson 6.2 Teaching Guide Locked .

Understanding what happened during World War I is key to understanding its effects. Follow the key events of the First World War—where it was fought, how it escalated, and why it became one of history’s deadliest conflicts.

STEP 4

Closer: Causes of the First World War

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 6 of the Lesson 6.2 Teaching Guide Locked .

There are a lot of posters to analyze here. Consider using the Three-Step Reading with students to “read” visuals. First, get the big picture. Then, zoom in on details. Finally, think about what the image means. Learn more in the Reading Guide.

Now that you've explored the causes of World War I, hypothesize what the nations involved in the war were thinking as you revisit the political cartoon from earlier in the lesson.

Extension Materials
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Dive deeper into the causes of World War I with the resources below, including a DBQ that asks you to explain how tensions turned into global conflict.
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Economics of War

Teaching Tools

To teach this lesson step, refer to page 7 of the Lesson 6.2 Teaching Guide Locked .

An analysis of capitalism and competition for markets adds yet another angle to the causes of World War I. Learn how economic systems played a role in shaping global tensions leading up to 1914.