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Guided Cornell Notes: World War I
 Changes in ___________________production. The industrial
revolution was a transition from ___________________to
power driven_____________________.
 Urbanization

Many European countries built up their
___________________________to protect their over seas
______________________.

The growing power of Europe’s armed forces left all
sides_________________________ and ready to act at the first
sign of trouble.

Seeking to protect themselves from opposing armed forces,
the nations of Europe formed a series of alliances, or
______________________.

Need for goods that could not be produced in Europe
without _____________________from elsewhere

Countries had to go to ________________________.

Nationalism is a strong alliance to
ones_____________________________________.
Place this on one sheet in your notebook and leave the space below for a
diagram.
The Great War Begins (textbook pages 779 – 782)
Europe on the Brink of War
In 1914, rising tensions in Europe had the continent on the brink of war. These
tensions were the result of four factors:
Militarism
Throughout the late 1800 and early 1900s, European countries
had undertaken a massive military buildup. This militarism was caused mostly by
the desire to protect overseas colonies from other nations. Across Europe, the
size of armed forces and navies had risen sharply, particularly in German.
The growing power of Europe’s armed forces left all sides anxious and ready to
act at the first sign of trouble. In this nervous environment, even a minor
disagreement had the potential to turn quickly into armed conflict.
Alliances
Seeking to protect themselves from opposing armed forces,
the nations of Europe formed a series of alliances, or partnerships. For example,
in the late 1800s, the so-called Triple Alliance united Germany, Austria-Hungary,
and Italy. France and Russia feared Germany’s growing power and formed
their own alliance. Soon Great Britain joined with France and Russia in a less
formal promise to cooperate – an entente. France, Russia and Great Britain thus
became known as the Triple Entante. Leaders hoped that these alliances
would help keep the peace. They believed that no single nation would attack
another, since that action would prompt the attacked nation’s allies to join the
fight.
Imperialism
The quest to build empires in the late 1800s and early 1900s had
created much rivalry and ill will among the nations of Europe. Germany,
France, Russia and Great Britain each saw themselves as great imperial nations.
They believed they could not afford to stand by while a rival empire gained
power.
Nationalism
An important part of the rising tensions in Europe was an
increase in nationalism beginning in the late 1800s. Nationalism is a strong
devotion to one’s national group or culture. In Europe, nationalism led to the
formation of new countries, including Germany and Italy, and struggles for
power.
The most visible of these power struggles was in the Balkan Peninsula, a region
of southeastern Europe that was home to many ethnic groups. In the early
1900s, some of these ethnic groups were trying to break free from the Ottoman
Empire, which had ruled the Balkans for hundreds of years but was now nearing
collapse.
Some of the strongest nationalist tensions in the Balkans were in Serbia. At the
time, Serbia was an independent nation. Many ethnic Serbs, however, lived
outside Serbia in other areas of the Balkans. Serbian leaders wanted to expand
the nation’s borders and unite all their people in a “greater Serbia. But AustriaHungary, the powerful empire to the north of Serbia, opposed any Serbian
expansion, fearing that such growth might encourage ethnic groups within
Austria-Hungary to rebel. Tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia would
continue to rise in the early 1900s.
War Breaks Out
In the midst of the tensions and resentment the Serbs felt toward AustriaHungary, the archduke of Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand, decided to visit the
Bosnian city of Sarajevo. On June 18, 1914, as Ferdinand’s car drove through
the Sarajevo streets, a young Serbia man, Gavrilo Princip, opened fire with his
pistol, killing the archduke and his wife, Sophie.
The Impact
Princip was arrested after the assassination. When he was
identified as a Serb, Austria-Hungary decided to use the murder as an excuse to
punish Serbia. Austria-Hungary made a series of humiliating demands of Serbia
and then declared war on July 28, 1914.
Russia, a country with many people of Slavic (term for those living in the Balkans)
ethnicity, had previously promised to support the Serbs if Austria-Hungary was
attacked. When Russia prepared to fulfill its promise to the Serbs, AustriaHungary’s ally Germany saw the Russian action as a threat. Germany declared
war on Russia and then on Russia’s ally, France. Thus, Europe’s alliances and
rivalries turned the action of a single assassin into a major conflict.
Fighting Begins
Located in central Europe, Germany faced a war on
two fronts – against Russia to the east and France to the west. Years earlier,
German military planners had developed the Schlieffen Plan, which called for
German troops to quickly defeat France in the west and then head east to fight
Russia. German leaders believed this strategy would be effective because
Russia’s vast size meant that the Russian military would need some time to move
toward the German border.
Germany began with a quick strike into Belgium, which was located between
Germany and France. Belgium was a neutral country, or a country that takes
no side in a conflict. Still, Germany planned to sweep through that country and
then move on to France. Germany’s attack on a neutral country led Great
Britain to declare war on Germany.
The main players of what came to be called World War I, of the Great War,
were no in place. Germany and Austria-Hungary made up on side, known as
the Central Powers. Great Britain, France, Russia and Serbia were known as the
Allied Powers.
Fighting in 1914
Germany’s plans for a swift victory in France soon failed. By the end of 1914, the
Great War had become a bloody stalemate.
Early Battles
Beginning in August 1914, German troops fought French and
British forces in a series of clashes known as the Battle of the Frontiers. Both sides
suffered heavy losses, but the result was a German victory.
While France was struggling to fight off Germany during the Battles of the
Frontiers, Russia attacked German territory from the east. The results for the
Russians were disastrous. In the Battle of Tannenberg, German forces crushed
the Russian invasion.
The Russian attack had failed to defeat the Germans, but it succeeded in
driving the Germans back. After retreating, German forces dug a series of
trenches, or deep ditches, along the Aisne River and awaited the Allied attack.
Trench Warfar Begins
From their strongly defended trenches on the Aisne,
the Germans were able to fight back to the Allied forces. But the Allied forces
soon dug trenches of their own. As a result, German and Allied positions would
change little in the coming months, despite a series of major battles. The
deadlock region in northern France became known as the Western Front.
World War I Battles, 1914
Assignment:
1.
Make a chart of the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente.
2.
What were the four factors that contributed to war? Explain
why each one was important.
3.
How did nationalism lead to Franz Ferdinand?
4.
What is trench warfare?
5.
Draw a cartoon of Alliance, Nationalism, Imperialism and
Militarism.
Directions
The pages that follow contain several documents. Each document has to do
with a root cause of World War I. Carefully examine each document, and then
answer the questions that follow:
Document 2 – European Diplomacy timeline, 1879-1914
Document 1 – Weapon Power
The following chart shows the size of European navies in 1914.
European Militaries: 1914
Country
Navy Sailors Army soldiers
Tons of Weapons
Russia
54,000
1,100,000
1,328,000
France
68,000
617,000
1,731,000
Britain
209,000
987,000
4,205,000
Germany
79,000
1.190,000
4,319,000
Austria-Hungary
16,000
987,000
2,249,000
1. According to this document, which major European power had the largest
army?
2. According to this document, which major European power had the largest
navy?
1879
The Dual Alliance
Germany and
Austria-Hungary
make an alliance
to protect
themselves from
Russia.
1894
Franco-Russian Alliance
France and Russia sign
an alliance to protect
themselves from
Germany and AustriaHungary
1889
Austro-Bulgarian
Alliance
Austria-Hungary makes
an alliance with
Bulgaria to prevent
Russia gaining control of
Bulgaria.
1914: Ottoman-German Treaty
Germany and the Ottoman Empire sign
a treaty promising to defend each
other in wars.
1907
Anglo-Russian Entente
Russia and Britain sign an
alliance.
1. According to this document, why did Germany and Austria-Hungary sign an
alliance with one another?
2. According to this document, why did France and Russia sign an alliance with
one another?
3. According to this document, which country had the most tons of weapons?
4. Which two countries appear to have the strongest militaries overall?
5. Britain is an island country (it is surrounded on all sides by water). Why might
an island country have a stronger navy than non-island countries?
6. Check one: This document is an example of:
 Militarism
 Nationalism
 Entangling Alliances
 Imperialism
3. Based on this document, list all the countries that would be required to fight
on the side of Germany, if Germany went to war in 1914. (Allies of allies count!)
4. Based on this document, list all the countries that would be required to fight
on the side of France, if France went to war in 1914. (Allies of allies count!)
5. Check one: This document is an example of:
 Militarism
 Nationalism
 Entangling Alliances
 Imperialism
Document 3 – Propaganda
Document 4 – Map
This propaganda song was popular in Germany before World War I.
The following is a map of Africa from 1914
The German Fatherland
By Ernst Mortiz Arndt © 1913
What is the German's fatherland?
It is the place
Where truth lives in every eye that’s
blue,
And every heart is good and true.
This is the land, the honest land,
The honest German's fatherland.
Where is the German fatherland?
Wherever is heard the German
tongue,
And German hymns to God are sung!
The entire world is German land!
The world, German, is your fatherland.
This is the land, the one true land,
O God, please lend a helping hand!
And fire each heart, and strengthen
each arm,
To shield great German homes from
harm,
God will help our land, our one true land,
One Deutschland and one fatherland!
1. Look at the first paragraph. What word is used to describe the “German Fatherland?”
1. What countries seem to have the most influence over the African continent?
2. Look at the first paragraph. What words are used to describe the people who live in
the “German Fatherland?”
2. Why might this map cause tensions between European nations?
3. Look at the second paragraph. Where does the author say “is German land?”
4. Look at the third paragraph. Who does the author say will help Germany?
5. What do you think the author of this song thought about Germany?
6. What do you think the author of this song thought about non-German countries?
7. Check one: This document is an example of:
 Militarism
 Nationalism
 Entangling Alliances

Imperialism
3. It takes money and effort to run a colony. How might a war in Europe affect
the map of Africa?
4. Check one: This document is an example of:
 Militarism
 Nationalism  Entangling Alliances

Imperialism
Trench Warfare
The First World War was the first major conflict when people
used ‘Modern’ weapons. For thousands of years,
battlefields were filled with swords, cannons, and soldiers
on horses. This was no more. It was now a case of the
machine gun and a gas canister taking control of the
battle.
Trench warfare was common for the first time in World War
I. Trenches are long ditches that were dug in the ground.
The soldiers could use the ditches to protect themselves
from enemy fire. The Germans were the first to use
trenches, digging them in order to prevent the Allies from
advancing any further. The British and French were unable
to get past these trenches, and so were forced to dig their
own as well. Otherwise the Germans would have been
able to easily counter attack.
Trenches were not nice places to live and fight in. They
were often filled with water, and had little if any comforts
such as heating and toilets. Much of the time the trenches
were as little as 40 meters away from the enemy and the
method of attack was to 'go over the top' of the trench
and charge at the opposing trench. Millions died as
machine guns cut through most soldiers well before they
reached the trenches.
To prevent enemies from getting into their trenches, both
sides strung barbed wire all along their dugouts.
Sometimes soldiers even put razor blades and tin cans in
the wire to make it even harder to get through!
Machine gun fire and shells lobbed at regular intervals into
the trenches cost the lives of thousands of soldiers each
day. On any given day, as many as 2,500 troops were
killed; another 9000 were wounded and 1000 declared
missing.
Poison gas was in widespread use for the first time in World
War I. Both sides used chlorine, phosgene, mustard and
other gases. Armies had gas masks, but often they were
not very good. One type of gas mask was even made up
of pads soaked in horse urine, which was supposed
neutralize the effect of the gas.
In addition to these horrors, the trench soldier of World War
I had to cope with millions of rats. Rats were attracted to
the trenches by the smell of empty food cans and dead
bodies. Some rats grew to the size of cats. It was not
uncommon for rats to start gnawing on the bodies of
wounded men who couldn’t defend themselves. Rats
became so bold that they would steal food from the
pockets of sleeping men. Many troops were awakened by
rats crawling across their faces. Soldiers fought off these
rats by stabbing them with bayonets and shooting them.
However, a single rat couple could produce up to 900
babies a year!
With all the horrors involved in Trench Warfare, some men
simply broke down. The constant shelling and firing caused
what is known as “shell shock.” Some men became
psychologically injured. Some went temporarily blind or
deaf. Some committed suicide. Some ran away, only to
be shot as deserters when found.
What was new about WWI fighting?
What was trench warfare and why did both sides use
it?
Hardship 1:
Hardship 2:
Hardship 3:
Hardship 4:
Hardship 5:
Effect:
Trench Warfare: Independent Practice Activity
Choose ONE of the following assignments:
A) Imagine that you are a soldier fighting in the
trenches during World War I. Write a letter
home describing trench warfare: What is it
and what are FIVE hardships you are facing?
How has that affected you? (at least ½ page)
B) Using the above reading (and page 784 if
necessary), draw a trench warfare battle