The First World War Name ______________________________

Background to War

Unit Guide

History 7

Overall Purpose:

How did the following factors lead to the First World War?

1. Nationalism

a) In Germany

b) In Austria-Hungary

2. Imperialism

3. Militarism

4. The Alliance System

Major Ideas:

A) Define the concept of nationalism. What factors led to the growth of European nationalism during the nineteenth century?

B) What was the purpose of the Congress of Vienna? What were the two main reasons why many Europeans were disappointed by the results of the Congress?

C) Describe the status of each of these areas following the Congress of Vienna:

1. Britain

2. France

3. Austria

4. Prussia

5. German States

6. Russia

7. Ottoman Empire

8. Italian States

D) What were the two main common factors present in the Revolutions of 1848?

E) Describe the 1848 revolutions in:

1. France

2. Germany

3. Austria

4. Italy

F) Describe how Italy became a unified country.

G) What were the main obstacles to German unification? Explain how Bismarck’s realpolitik overcame these obstacles and unified Germany.

H) What impact did German unification have on Germany? What factors made Germany a powerful country? What impact did German unification have on the rest of Europe?

I) Describe the factors that led to the creation of the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary. What were the major strengths and weaknesses of the Austro-Hungarian Empire?

J) Why was the Ottoman Empire called “The Sick Man of Europe?”

K) What were the two key principles of Bismarck’s foreign policy? Why did these eventually fail?

L) How did imperialism contribute to European tensions?

M) Describe the two competing European alliances. Why did this increase tensions in Europe?

N) What factors led to the growth of militarism in Europe? Explain why European armies were so huge.

O) Why were the Balkans called “The Powder Keg of Europe”? What factors led to tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia?

P) How had the map of Europe changed between 1815 and 1914?

Q) Describe the circumstances of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. Why was this a natural extension of the tensions in the Balkans?

Key Terms:

1) Battle of Waterloo (1815)

2) nation

3) state

4) Magyars

5) Balkans

6) Höhenzollerns

7) Hapsburgs

8) Romanovs

9) Radical

10) Liberal

11) Conservative

12) Reactionary

13) Constitutional Monarchy

14) Republic

15) Lajos Kossuth

16) Franz Josef

17) Count Cavour

18) Giuseppe Garibaldi

19) Otto von Bismarck

20) Seven Weeks War (1866)

21) Franco-Prussian War (1871)

22) Alsace-Lorraine

23) Wilhelm II

24) Dreadnought

25) Serbia

26) Pan-Slavism

27) Crimean War

28) Florence Nightingale

29) Congress of Berlin (1878)

30) Triple Alliance

31) Triple Entente

32) mobilization

33) Bosnia and Herzegovina

34) Balkan Wars of 1912-1913

35) Franz Ferdinand