The lesson that I would teach would be aimed towards 9

th
and 10
th
graders in World History, it would be
about the cause and effect of World War I. I would teach the students about the relations between
Central Powers and the Allied Powers.
I would begin by giving the students a copy of the world map, in which they will be able to shade
in/outline the two different groups of governments, and also those that were neutral. They will highlight
the Central and Allied Powers in two different colors, and also the countries that remained neutral. I will
also request that they label the main countries involved. I would have a slide of the world during that
time, so that they can refer to.
Next I would begin to explain the events of Europe that caused the war among many nations. I will
demonstrate through images through PowerPoint or Prezi:
Towards the end of the 18
th
century, the German kingdom of Prussia launched a series of wars to unite
the various Germans states into one nation. Germany quickly became powerful in Europe, thus
transforming European politics. In 1870, Germany had attacked and defeated France and forced them to
give up territory along Germany border. France and Germany were now enemies. Germany became
friends with Italy and Austria-Hungary. Along with France, Russia and Great Britain were worried about
Germany and had common interest in opposing Germany and friends.
Nationalism was one of the reasons for the tensions among the European powers. It was a feeling of
intense pride of ones homeland and placed primary emphasis on promoting their homelands culture
and interest above those of other countries. (p. 450) Each nation was at competition with each other and
many were willing to go to war to prove who is best. In the region known as the Balkans, which was
ruled by the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empire, was wanted to become independent. There were
many different groups in the Balkans, like the Serbs, Bosnians, Croats, and Slovenes, they all spoke
similar languages and had same customs. The Serbs were the first to become independent, and they had
the support of Russia, which Austria-Hungary did not like, and in 1908 Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia,
which got Serbs angry. The annexation was a warning that Austria-Hungary was not going to let the
countries become independent.
On June 28, 1914, while Archduke Franz Ferdinand was visiting the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo, a
member of a Serbian nationalist group nicknamed the Black Hand shot him and his wife, Sophia, to
death. Austria-Hungary was outraged and considered this the perfect time to crush Serbia. However,
Russia had Serbias back, and Austria-Hungary knew it, so they asked Germany for support and they said
Da! Then Russia asked France to back them up and they said, Oui! Germany than declared war on
Russia, then France, thus the beginning of World War I. Many battles were fought, Germany invaded
Belgium and France, and Russia invaded Germany. Germany did not have enough soldiers to hold up
Russia, so they sent those that were in France to Germany, which created a weaker defense line in
France. The French, along with the help of Great Britain, retained Germany within 30 miles of Paris for
about three years.
However on the other side, Germany won over Russia and started pushing them back into their territory.
Many Russians were killed, wounded and captured, but they still continued to fight. America did not
enter the war until 1917, when Germany was in control of the Northern Seas. They were attacking both
naval and passenger ships, breaking treaties, and sending telegrams to Mexico, to gain an alliance.
Finally, America stopped supporting the war financially and by sending supplies, and now they were
sending troops.
Russia had left the war in 1917 due to riots opposing the war. The Bolshevik Party overthrew the Russian
government and established a Communist Party. Now with Russia out, Germany can now focus on the
Western front; however the American troops broke through the German lines in the Battle of the
Argonne Forest. A revolution in Austria-Hungary forced them to retreat and the Ottoman Turks
surrendered, which forced Germany to sign an armistice in 1918 on the 11
th
month, 11
th
day, 11
th
hour.
This was the end of World War I.
The students will commence researching the different factors that created nationalism in the countries
and how it began the World War.