The outbreak of war in 1914
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how the assassination of Franz Ferdinand caused European powers to declare war on each other as a result of the alliance system.
Key learning points
- Tensions rose in the Balkans due to the rise of nationalist movements and opposition to Austrian influence.
- The trigger for war was the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Serbia.
- German-supported Austria declared war on Serbia, supported by Russia.
- The system of alliances caused Germany and Russia to declare war, dragging other powers into the conflict.
- The failure of Germany's Schlieffen Plan, which assumed British neutrality, contributed to the outbreak of a global war.
Keywords
Nationalism - nationalism is the support for the political independence of a country
Assassinate - to assassinate someone is to murder an important person for a political or religious reason
Ultimatum - an ultimatum is a final demand which, if denied, will result in some form of retaliation
Mobilise - to mobilise is to prepare an army for war
Common misconception
That the assassination of Ferdinand led to the inevitable, immediate outbreak of a global war
The outbreak of the war was the result of a series of context-dependent events, including the Austrian ultimatum and the Schlieffen Plan
Teacher tip
On slide 17, emphasise that without British involvement the war would likely have been much smaller in scale - perhaps not remembered as a 'World War'
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following countries was formed in 1871?
Q2.Match each key word to the correct definition.
Q3.Which three of the following nations were part of the Triple Alliance?
Q4.Which three of the following nations were part of the Triple Entente?
Q5.Which one of the following statements best explains how large wars break out?
Q6.Which three of the following were a cause of tension across Europe from 1871-1914?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.When were the Balkan wars?
Q2.Match each key word to the correct definition
Q3.Who was assassinated on 28th June 1914?
Q4.Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into the order in which they happened.
Q5.Complete this sentence by typing in the missing word. Austria-Hungary blamed the nation of __________ for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Q6.Which three of the following are reasons why the Schlieffen Plan failed?
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: The outbreak of war in 1914, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: The outbreak of war in 1914, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the World War One: how 'total' was it for people in the British Empire? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.