Who Started World War I/Crash Course World History

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

Social Studies

Grade(s)

9, 11

Overview

Join host John Green to learn about the reasons World War I started and why the situation is so complicated. We'll try to get to the bottom of the confusion. However, it's very hard to assign blame to any one of the nations involved. Did the fault lie with Austria-Hungary? Germany? Russia? Julius Caesar? Join us for an interesting discussion in this episode of Crash Course.

**Sensitive: This resource contains material that may be sensitive for some students. Teachers should exercise discretion in evaluating whether this resource is suitable for their class.

Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 9 - World History

SS10.WH.12

Explain causes and consequences of World War I, including imperialism, militarism, nationalism, and the alliance system.

UP:SS10.WH.12

Vocabulary

  • imperialism
  • militarism
  • nationalism
  • alliance system
  • Bolsheviks
  • Treaty of Versailles of 1919
  • reparations
  • War Guilt Clause
  • League of Nations

Knowledge

Students know:
  • How to explain the causes and consequences of WWI.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify causes and consequences of historical events using a variety of primary and secondary historical resources.
  • Judge the importance of historical events using specific textual evidence to support the student's position.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There were many causes and consequences of World War I.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 11 - United States History II

SS10.US2.4

Describe causes, events, and the impact of military involvement of the United States in World War I, including mobilization and economic and political changes. [A.1.a., A.1.b., A.1.d., A.1.f., A.1.i., A.1.j., A.1.k.]

UP:SS10.US2.4

Vocabulary

  • World War I
  • Treaty of Versailles
  • mobilization
  • imperialism
  • nationalism
  • militarism
  • nativism
  • fascist

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The causes, events, and the impact of military involvement of the United States in World War I.
  • Social and political changes and attitudes in the United States related to involvement in World War I, including: American neutrality, mobilization, economic changes, and political changes.
  • The role of imperialism, militarism, nationalism, nativism, and the alliance system in World War I.
  • Geographical and political boundaries of Europe and the Middle East, pre- and post-World War I.
  • Controversies over the Treaty of Versailles of 1919, Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points, and the League of Nations.
  • Short- and long-term effects of the Treaty of Versailles.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Explain the changing role of the United States during specific historical periods and in relationship to specific historical events.
  • Describe the effects of political and social movements and ideologies.
  • Analyze the social and political causes, events, and impact of specific historical events.
  • Identify geographical and political changes related to specific historical events.
  • Analyze controversies related to political policies, plans, and agreements.
  • Analyze primary and secondary sources.
  • Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There were many causes and effects of the United States' military involvement in World War I and these had significant social, political, and economic impact on the United States.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 11 - United States History II

SS10.US2.8

Summarize events leading to World War II, including the militarization of the Rhineland, Germany’s seizure of Austria and Czechoslovakia, Japan’s invasion of China, and the Rape of Nanjing. [A.1.b., A.1.c., A.1.d., A.1.e., A.1.g., A.1.i., A.1.k.]

UP:SS10.US2.8

Vocabulary

  • Fascism
  • Nazism
  • Communism
  • Isolationism
  • Holocaust
  • appeasement
  • invasion

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The events that lead to World War II.
  • The impact of political movements such as fascism, Nazism, and communism on conflicts in Europe.
  • The effects of isolationism, including the debate about United States isolationism and changes in attitudes after Pearl Harbor.
  • Roles of significant World War II leaders, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, George S. Patton, Sir Winston Churchill, Bernard Montgomery, Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, Emperor Hirohito, Hedeki Tōjō, Erwin Rommel, Adolf Hitler.
  • The impact of the Munich Pact and the failed British policy of appeasement resulting in the invasion of Poland.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media.
  • Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information related to historical events.
  • Read and comprehend historical texts independently and proficiently on various topics related to events that led to WWII and the effect of those events on American foreign policy today.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There were many events and policies leading up to WWII.

CR Resource Type

Audio/Video

Resource Provider

PBS

License Type

CUSTOM

Accessibility

Video resources: includes closed captioning or subtitles
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