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EAL Nexus resource
Events leading to World War I
Europe before World War I
Subject:
History
Age groups:
12–14, 15–16, 17–18
Topic:
World War I
Licence information | This resource is free to use for educational purposes. ©British Council 2014
Source | This resource was originally developed by Sabine Matzak and has been adapted by EAL Nexus.
Words you need to know
The opposite of peace is
war
If something is made up of three parts, it is called
triple
Materials needed in order to manufacture (make) goods you can sell (e.g.
coal, iron, wood, wool, cotton) are called
raw materials
A country which is controlled by a more powerful country is a
colony
The head of state in the German Empire (1871–1918) was called the
Kaiser
A group of ships (e.g. in an army) is called a
fleet
A group of countries that are formally united and working together
because they have similar aims is an
alliance
Somebody who inherits a title and the belongings of somebody who dies is
their
heir
A written agreement between countries in which they agree to do a
particular thing or to help each other is a
treaty
A formal word for taking something (e.g. an army or money) away or
removing it is to
withdraw
To enter a country by force with an army is to
invade
Europe at the beginning of World War I
Russia
Germany
France
AustriaHungary
Bulgaria
Ottoman
Empire
Central Powers
Triple Alliance
Germany
Austria-Hungary
Italy (until 1915)
after 1914
Bulgaria
Ottoman Empire
(Turkey)
Allied Nations
Triple Entente
France
Russia
Britain
(since 1904 with France
and since 1907 with
Russia)
after 1914
Serbia, Montenegro,
Belgium, Romania,
Portugal, Greece,
Italy
Neutral countries
Norway
Sweden
Denmark
Netherlands
Switzerland
Spain
Albania
World leaders 1914
Triple Alliance
Triple Entente
• Germany: Kaiser Wilhelm II • France: President
Raymond Poincaré
• Austria: Kaiser Franz Josef I
• Russia: Tsar Nicholai II
• Italy: Vittorio Emmanuele III
• Britain: George V
The real causes of WWI
Germany
became a
successful
industrial
power.
Germany
needed raw
materials
and wanted
power. It
competed
for colonies
with Britain,
France and
other
colonial
powers.
The Kaiser
was envious
of the British
fleet and
started to
build
battleships.
An arms
race
began.
Europe split
up in
alliances.
The events leading to WWI (1)
The Austrian heir
to the throne,
Archduke Franz
Ferdinand, was
murdered by
Serbian terrorists
in Sarajevo
(Bosnia).
28th June 1914
Germany
Austria-Hungary
declared war on backed AustriaHungary.
Serbia.
Russia backed
Serbia.
28th July 1914
The events leading to WWI (2)
Germany
declared war on
Russia.
1st August 1914
France prepared
its army to
support Russia.
Germany
declared war on
France.
Germany
invaded Belgium.
3rd August 1914
The events leading to WWI (3)
Britain, who had
a treaty with
Belgium, set
Germany an
ultimatum to
withdraw from
Belgium.
Germany did
not withdraw its
troops.
Britain declared
war on
Germany.
4th August 1914