Standard: SS6H6d
Essential Question: How did colonial empires contribute to the development of Europe and lead to the outbreak of
WWI?
Name: ___________________________________________
Date: __________________ Per:______ T.o.C. # ______
Franz Ferdinand, aged 51, was heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was very unpopular because
he had made it clear that once he became Emperor he would make changes. This included
supporting the annexation (take-over) of the country of Bosnia-Herzegovina that occurred in1908. As
one might imagine, this was unpopular with the Bosnian people who had lost their independence.
Franz Ferdinand decided to visit Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina, to inspect the AustroHungarian troops that were stationed there. The inspection was scheduled for June 28, 1914. It was
planned that Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie would be met at the train station and taken by car
to the City Hall where they would have lunch before going to inspect the troops.
A Serbian terrorist group, called The Black Hand, were extremely nationalistic had decided that the
Archduke should be assassinated and this visit provided the ideal opportunity. Seven young men who
had been trained in bomb throwing and marksmanship were stationed along the route that Franz
Ferdinand's car would follow from the City Hall to the inspection. However, the first two terrorists were
unable to throw their grenades because the streets were too crowded and the car was travelling quite
fast. They were able to hit the car behind the Archduke and his wife, and several people were taken
to the hospital for their injuries.
After lunch at the City Hall, Franz Ferdinand insisted on visiting the local hospital to meet with those
who were wounded in the earlier terrorist attack. However, on the way to the hospital the driver took
a wrong turn. Realizing his mistake, the driver stopped the car and began to reverse. One of the
Black Hand terrorists, named Gavrilo Princip, stepped forward and fired two shots.
Directions: Fill in the blanks using information from the reading passage for comprehension.
28th June _____________ was a warm and sunny day. Archduke ____________ _______________ of Austria-Hungary
was on an official visit to the town of ______________________. Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the AustroHungarian throne.
There were many people who disagreed with the policies that Archduke wanted to continue, and were
convinced that they needed to fight for independence. Some of these people, from a group called the
_____________
______________, were very nationalistic and believed killing the Archduke was a way to become
independent.
A member of the Black Hand, _______________ ______________, was able to locate the Archduke’s car in the city
and take some deadly shots. This is the event that would spark the beginning of WWI.
Standard: SS6H6d
Essential Question: How did colonial empires contribute to the development of Europe and lead to the outbreak of
WWI?
EUROPEAN ALLI ANCES, 1914
KEY
Triple Entente
Triple Alliance
Extra, Extra! Newspaper Activity
Directions: Using your notes from today, create the front page of a newspaper from August 1914,
announcing the beginning of the Great War. Grab a template from Ms. Evans!
You MUST include the following:
1. Information on at least one of the main causes of WWI and how it lead to war (militarism,
alliances, imperialism, and nationalism)
2. Information about the assassination of Franz Ferdinand
3. Information on how different countries got involved
4. One illustration