Slide 1: The World Before the War
- By 1914, Europe was divided into two powerful alliance groups ready to defend each other
- Industrialization had made nations wealthier, more ambitious, and better armed than ever before
- Tensions over land, trade, and power had been simmering for decades
Speaker note: Set the scene by asking students what they think Europe might have looked like on a map in 1914.
Slide 2: Militarism — The Arms Race
- European nations, especially Germany and Britain, competed to build the biggest armies and navies
- Governments spent huge sums on new weapons, warships, and military technology
- A culture of military pride made war seem honorable and even exciting to many people
Speaker note: Ask students why having a bigger army than your neighbor might actually make conflict more likely, not less.
Slide 3: Alliances — A Web of Promises
- Europe split into two armed camps: the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy) and the Triple Entente (France, Russia, Britain)
- Each country promised to defend the others if attacked
- This meant a small conflict between two nations could drag the whole continent into war
Speaker note: Use a "domino" analogy to help students visualize how alliances turned a local dispute into a world war.
Slide 4: Imperialism — Competition for Empire
- European powers controlled vast empires across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East
- Rival nations clashed over who should own and profit from these territories
- This competition created anger, jealousy, and mistrust between the great powers
Speaker note: Point out that competition for colonies created flashpoints of tension long before 1914.
Slide 5: Nationalism — Pride and Conflict
- Nationalism is a fierce pride in one's country or ethnic group, sometimes leading to rivalry with others
- Many groups — especially in the Balkans — wanted to break free from empires and rule themselves
- This made regions like Bosnia extremely unstable and politically dangerous
Speaker note: Explain that nationalism can be positive but becomes dangerous when one group believes it is superior to others.
Slide 6: The Spark — Assassination in Sarajevo
- Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was assassinated on 28 June 1914
- The killer, Gavrilo Princip, was a Bosnian-Serb nationalist linked to a group called the Black Hand
- Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia, triggering a chain reaction through the alliance system
Speaker note: Emphasize that the assassination was the trigger, not the underlying cause — like a spark landing on dry wood.
Slide 7: The MAIN Causes — Putting It Together
- Historians use the acronym MAIN to summarize the causes: Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism
- Each cause alone was dangerous; together they made large-scale war almost inevitable
- The assassination of Franz Ferdinand was the final spark that set the whole structure alight
Speaker note: Write MAIN on the board and invite students to give one example for each letter from previous slides.
Slide 8: Why Does It Matter Today?
- World War I reshaped borders, toppled empires, and cost over 17 million lives
- The unresolved tensions from WWI directly led to the outbreak of World War II just 20 years later
- Understanding these causes helps us recognize warning signs of conflict in today's world
Speaker note: Close with a discussion question: "Can you think of any situations in today's world that remind you of pre-war Europe?"