Pre Reading Exercise: Causes of World War 1 Pages 294 – 297

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Date:

1. What are the 4 main factors that contributed to growing tensions in Europe?
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2. What are the names of the two alliances formed between European nations?
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3. What did each nation in an alliance promise?

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4. What is the definition of Nationalism?

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5. What are the two things Nationalism can do to a nation?

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6. In 1900, who did the ethnic groups start fighting for independence from?

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7. What is Imperialism?

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8. Who are the main rivals in the race for new colonies in Africa?
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9. Using source 5, identify the size of population, military spending and solider
numbers of Britain

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10. What is the definition of Militarism?

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11. Using source 6, who had the most Dreadnoughts in 1914?

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12. What is a Dreadnought? (Hint: Source 7 Caption)

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13. Who had the largest navy in 1900?

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14. Which two countries competed in building the most Dreadnoughts?

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15. Why was Germany’s colonial empire so much smaller than Britain’s in the
lead-up to World War 1?

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16, Using sources 5 and 6, explain what is meant by the ‘arms race’. Explain
possible reasons why major European powers began to increase the size of
their armed forces between 1900 and 1914.

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