Lesson 1: Causes of World War I
Duration of Days: 3
Lesson Objective
Students will explain the short- and long-term causes of World War I by evaluating the roles of nationalism, imperialism, alliances, militarism, and economic competition.
Why did global conflict erupt in 1914?
Which causes were most significant in leading to World War I?
nationalism, militarism, alliances, imperialism, total war
APWH Unit 7 Topic 7.1
Skill 2.A
Reasoning Process: Causation
Identifying multiple causes and weighing relative significance in analytical texts.
This lesson establishes a causal framework for understanding the outbreak of World War I.
Purpose: Analyze causes of global conflict
DOK: 3
Modern alliance systems and international conflict escalation.
Students may view the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand as the sole cause of the war.
Cause-ranking activities; guided reading supports.
Formative multiple-choice questions focused on causation.
AP World History textbook, alliance maps