1. The First World War

2. WWI

3. Key Question: why was Europe a bomb ready to explode in 1914?
We need to decide what were the causes of the build-up of tension in Europe before the First World War.

4. Reason 1 …

5. Reason 1 …

6. Reason 1 …
Sorry, the German Empire is where exactly?

7. Cause 1: Empires
By the start of the 20th century large areas of the world were controlled by European powers.
The British and the French had the biggest Empires.
Germany had been a unified country only since 1870, but it had grown in power enormously. It wanted an Empire too, but was jealous that all the best bits had been taken already.

8. Reason 2 … spot the difference
Central Europe in 1914
The nations of central Europe today

9. Cause 2: Nationalism Key term:
Nationalist = someone who wants independent rule for his ethnic or cultural group

10. Cause 2: Nationalism
Austria-Hungary was a large Empire in central Europe made of many ethnic and cultural groups.
Many of these groups wanted independence from the Empire
There were nationalist groups amongs the Czechs, the Slavs and the Serbs
Some of these groups were becoming increasingly violent…

11. The First World War
Causes Part 2

12. Empires
Nationalism
WWI ? ?

13. Reason 3 …
The Alliance System

14. Reason 4 …
The Arms Race

15. Empires
Nationalism
WWI
Arms Race
Alliance System

16. Alliance System
Colour map to show who was allied with whom
Draw a table in your book to show who was in each alliance
Write a paragraph to explain how the alliance system increased tension
Arms Race
Write a summary of the military strengths and weaknesses of each of the following: Britain, Germany, France, Russia
Write a paragraph to explain how the arms race increased tension

17. WWI What lights the fuse? Empires Nationalism Arms Race
Alliance System