World History - Kelemen – 2016
Unit 6: World War I (1914-1918)
What were the causes of the Great War?
How did the course of WWI impact soldiers and civilians from various nations involved?
What were some immediate consequences of World War I?
One hundred years ago, the increasing competition among European nations for power and prestige exploded into a
terrible four year long struggle then known as the Great War. Increasing imperialistic, industrial and military rivalries
along with a growing spirit of nationalism and a complex system of alliances sparked what we know today as World War
I. Newly developed military technology initially led on both sides to believe that the war would be relatively quick, yet
the conflict soon bogged down into a grim and drawn out bloodbath. The magnitude of the killing (about 9 million
military deaths and even greater civilian casualties) made this war the deadliest in human history at that time. The
psychological, social and political impacts of the First World War left a generation feeling hopeless and betrayed. These
feelings contributed directly to an even greater conflict just 20 years later. The causes, course and consequences of the
First World War will be the focus of this first unit of the spring semester.
Homework #1: Read Pages 407-410 for Quiz on Monday 1/11
Answer questions below OR take “Cornell Style” notes for help on reading quiz. Due with Notebook Packet.
1. How did nationalism & imperialism increase tensions in Europe by the early 20th Century?
2. How did growing militarism and new alliances impact Europe in the early 20th Century?
3. What role did the Balkans play in Austria and Russia going to war in July, 1914?
MAIN (Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism) Causes of WWI, Otto von Bismarck, Kaiser Wilhelm II,
Triple Alliance, Triple Entente, Balkan “Powder Keg”, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Ultimatum
Homework #2: Read Pages 411-415 – Due Tuesday 1/19
Answer questions below OR take “Cornell Style” notes for help on reading quiz. Due with Notebook Packet.
1. Why did World War I quickly become a stalemate along the “Western Front”?
2. How did new technology increase the casualties of World War I?
3. What were the main differences and similarities between the war on the “Eastern Front” compared to the “Western Front”?
“Chain Reaction” of Alliances, Central Powers, Allied Powers, Western Front, Schlieffen Plan, Trench
Warfare, New Weapons of WWI, Eastern Front
Homework #3: Read Pages 417-427 – Due Monday 1/25
Answer questions below OR take “Cornell Style” notes for help on reading quiz. Due with Notebook Packet.
1. Describe an example of how fighting in the “Great War” impacted non-Europeans and civilians.
2. How was World War I impacted by the withdrawal of Russia and entrance of the USA in 1917?
3. Why did an observer call the Treaty of Versailles ending World War I “a peace built on quicksand”?
Gallipoli Campaign, Fighting in Africa & Asia, Unrestricted Submarine Warfare, Lusitania, Zimmermann
Note, Total War, Rationing, Propaganda, Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Armistice, Financial & Psychological
Costs of WWI, 14 Points, Treaty of Versailles, League of Nations, Territorial Changes Resulting From
WWI, “War Guilt” Clause
Assessments
Notebook Packet: Homework & In Class Assignments - Due Friday 1/29
Project: WWI Mock Trial – Tuesday 1/26 & Wednesday 1/27
Reading Quizzes: 10 Question Multiple Choice Quizzes on 1/11, 1/19 and 1/25
In Class Writes (No Notes): Three Short Answer Written Responses - Friday 1/29