HistoryBritain, Europe and the wider world, 1901–present40 min★★★ difficulty

Lesson 1: Europe goes to war

The assassination at Sarajevo triggered decisions shaped by alliance, empire, militarism and mobilisation.

Part of your national curriculum

Challenges 1901 to the present: Understand challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day, including the First and Second World Wars and the Holocaust
Historical enquiry: Understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance
Historical enquiry: Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history

Lesson overview

What you'll learn in this lesson

Understand challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day, including the First and Second World Wars and the Holocaust

Key learning points

• Long and short causes
• A global conflict

This lesson at a glance

40 minutes
23 parts to scroll through
3 quick checks
Marked quiz at the end
Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses

Words to know

challengesbritaineuropepresentsecond

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Part 1 of 23 · Discover4%

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Part 1 of 23

Short introduction

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Lesson 1: Europe goes to war

Europe in 1914: alliances, tension and the slide into war.

In a nutshell

Understand challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day, including the First and Second World Wars and the Holocaust

What you already know

Part 2 of 23

Before we start

What you already know

You should already know that European states in 1900 had empires and large armies, and that a trigger is the immediate event that sets off a crisis.

Key words

Part 3 of 23

Key words

Words you'll need today

Alliance: An agreement between states to support one another.
Mobilisation: Calling up and moving armed forces ready for war.
Militarism: Valuing military power and preparing for war.
July Crisis: The weeks of decisions in 1914 between the assassination and general war.

Reset break

Part 4 of 23

Pause

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Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

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Your lesson plan

Part 5 of 23

Lesson brief

Why did a Balkan crisis become a world war?

By the end, you will be able to

• Build an accurate twentieth-century chronology
• Connect British, European and global developments
• Use official records and testimony ethically and critically

Resources

• First World War unit war diary (1914–1918)
• Lesson notes and marked knowledge check

4 minRecall the chronology and frame the enquiry

16 minRead the textbook explanation and build the argument

12 minInterrogate the archive evidence in context

8 minAnswer the checks and write a supported conclusion

Learning cycle

Part 6 of 23

Learning cycle 1 of 2

Why war began

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

Explore the idea

Part 7 of 23

Learn

Long and short causes

Competition and alliance systems created danger, but leaders still made choices during the July Crisis.

Reset break

Part 8 of 23

Pause

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Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

Stop here for now

Quick check

Part 9 of 23

Quick check

The immediate trigger was…

Give me a hint

Quick check

Part 10 of 23

Quick check

Why was it global?

Give me a hint

Learning cycle

Part 11 of 23

Learning cycle 2 of 2

A global conflict

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

Reset break

Part 12 of 23

Pause

That's sitting 3 of 6 done

Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

Stop here for now

Explore the idea

Part 13 of 23

Learn

A global conflict

European empires drew soldiers, labour and resources from around the world.

Quick check

Part 14 of 23

Quick check

Best causal account?

Give me a hint

Investigate evidence

Part 15 of 23

Evidence 1 of 1

primary

First World War unit war diary

British Army units, 1914–1918

Daily entries record positions, orders, casualties and conditions in the language of military administration.

War diaries are contemporary operational records. They are strong for unit activity but rarely capture every soldier's experience or emotion.

Think like a historian

What can an official diary establish securely, and what would a personal letter add?

Source: The National Archives, First World War 100 resources

View the archive record ↗

Reset break

Part 16 of 23

Pause

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Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

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Common mix-ups

Part 17 of 23

Common mix-ups

Things people often get wrong

People often say the assassination caused the war. It triggered decisions that leaders still chose to make.
People often call it a European war. Empires drew in troops, labour and resources from around the world.

Challenge round

Part 18 of 23

Game · Sort it

Which of these are true?

Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.

True

Not true

Challenge round

Part 19 of 23

Game · Recall cards

The immediate trigger was…

Card 1 of 4

Reset break

Part 20 of 23

Pause

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Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

Stop here for now

Exit quiz

Part 21 of 23

Exit quiz

Show what you've learned

6 questions, marked together at the end. Nothing is timed.

1. The immediate trigger of the First World War was…
2. Alliances mattered because they…
3. Mobilisation means…
4. Why was the war global?
5. Long-term causes include…
6. The best causal account says leaders…

Mastery quiz

Part 22 of 23

Marked quiz

End of lesson quiz: Lesson 1: Europe goes to war

4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.

1. The immediate trigger was…
2. Why was it global?
3. Best causal account?
4. Total war means…

Lesson round-up

Part 23 of 23

Lesson round-up

Ready when you are

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Understand challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day, including the First and Second World Wars and the Holocaust
Not looked at yet
Understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance
Not looked at yet
Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history