The First World War: Franz Ferdinand & tension in the Balkans

PowerPoint with 7 slides and three worksheets that examines the crises in the Balkans between 1900 and 1914 . The lesson covers the Austro-Hungarian annexation of Bosnia in 1908, the Balkan Wars of 1912-13 and the Assassination of Franz Ferdinand.

Please note this lesson does not cover the aftermath of Franz Ferdinand’s assassination such as the Blank Cheque or actual outbreak of the First World War.

**Activities include: **

• Matching exercise in which the key countries and territories in the Balkan region are matched to descriptions of their status at the start of the 20th Century.
• Comprehension and analysis activity in which pupils use the information they have learned from activity one to explain the likely attitudes of key countries and territories to new developments in the region such as the 1908 annexation, the Balkan Wars and the assassination of Franz Ferdinand.
• Reading and comprehension activity in which pupils read the detailed story of Franz Ferdinand’s assassination and identify evidence that demonstrates the responsibility of elements within the Serbian Government, the responsibility of the Black Hand and the unwitting responsibility of Austria & Franz Ferdinand himself.
• Plenary discussion on how the assassination in Sarajevo could spark the First World War

Designed for the teaching of Edexcel iGCSE History 4HI1 Paper 2 A1 The Origins and Course of the First World War, 1905-1918.
Lesson Length: 1hr depending on pace