Western Civilization pp. 701-711;  718-721

Origins of the Great War, 1914-1918 

I. German Unification by war  
    A.  Otto von Bismarck    History: Otto von Bismarck and his Policies
         Otto von Bismarck, „Founder" of the German Empire
II. Alliance System 
    A.Triple Alliance- ,Germany, Austria, Italy 
        1.  Reinsurance Treaty,, Russia and Germany, 1887-1890. 
    B.  The Franco-Russian Alliance (1894) also called the Dual Alliance
    C. Britain isolated 
        1.  Fashoda Incident
        2  Boer War
        3.  Entente Cordiale 1904
        4. Anglo-Russian Entente, 1907
        5.  Triple Entente
III. Imperialism
     A. Causes
         1.National Pride
         2. Industrialization
              a. raw materials
              b. markets
         3. Overpopulation
         4."White Man's Burden"
    
     B.  Colonialism in Africa
          1.Scramble for Africa  go the links: David Livingstone, Cecil Rhodes, Henry Morton Stanley
      C. China
         1.   The Boxer Rebellion
       D.  Japan
           1.   Meiji Restoration            
     D. Europe 
         1. France's loss of Alsace-Lorraine after the Franco-Prussian War  1870
         2. Bosnia-Herzegovina

IV.Militarism 
     A. Arms race 
     B. War Plans

V. Nationalism
    A. France v. Germany (France's loss of Alsace-Lorraine, need for revenge)
    B. Russia (allied to Serbia, Pan-Slavism) v. Austria 
    C. Italy v. Austria (Adriatic coast Italia Irredenta )
     D. Balkans "Tinderbox of Europe" 
         1. Serbian The Black Hand  Serbia in 1914

VI. Assassination of Archduke  Franz Ferdinand of Austria, Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
     A. Sarajevo
     B. Aftermath of the assassination


Links

The Causes of World War One good essay summarizing events/alliances that lead to war in 1914

The Second German Empire until 1914

Roots of the First World War

Austrian Ultimatum to Serbia, 23 July 1914

History House: Balkan Blunders irreverent account of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand