HISTORY OF EUROPE

1300- 1914
POL 108
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE. OSUN STATE UNIVERSITY,OSOGBO.

Power Point Presentation for 2018/2019 Rain semester Lecture

Compiled by: Omodunbi Olumide

July 2019
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Course Description
Pol 108 (History of Europe 1300-1914) is a one semester
course for 100 level Political Science students. It is a
2unit course designed to introduce the students to, on
one hand, the history of Europe and on the other
hand, the place of Europe in the shaping of global
politics.
The aim of this course is to give the students a
comprehensive knowledge of the role of Europe in the
evolution and development of contemporary world
politics.
COURSE OUTLINE
Where or what is Europe? A Conceptual Clarification
Ancient Greece and the Spread of Greek Civilisation)
The Rise and Decline of the Roman Empire
Europe in the Middle Ages
Renaissance Era
Age of Discovery and the Enlightenment in Europe
The French Revolution
World War I.
What and Where is Europe?
In this course, it is important to address the definition
of the much talked about Europe. This is because
Europe has been one of the most important influential
continent in the contemporary international system.
Attempts will be made to examine the various issues
that matters when a definition of Europe is attempted
and why there are different ways to conceptualise
Europe.
The conceptualistaion of Europe will be looked at from
three (3) different perspectives as described by Palmer
& Perkins (2003) and they include;
What and Where is Europe? Cont’d
 Europe as a Civilisation
 Europe as a geographical entity
 Europe as an Idea.
Europe As a Civilisation
• Europe is considered the heartland of civilisation as it evolve from
Judaic- Greco-Roman & Christian traditions. i.e. Europe’s root can
be traced to traditions that evolved from world empires like Greece,
Rome and in the normative Christian values.
• There was a time European civilisation controlled almost the entire
world. It spread its values to the new world (America, New Zealand
& Australia). Europe also effectively colonised people in Africa and
India and in modern history, European civilisation has been largely
predominant.
What and Where is Europe? Cont’d
Europe as a civilisation is faced with challenges and
division. It has been difficult to distinguish between
Western Christians and Western Orthodox civilisation.
Western Christians civilisation is centered on West and
Central Europe especially states like Germany, France,
Britain and Spain. While Orthodox civilisation find its
homeland in Russia.
Duo there exist a slight variation in these two (2)
civilisations, their origins and essential values are
similar. The divisions that existed are product of Politics
and Economics.
What and Where is Europe? Cont’d
Europe as a geographical entity
• The geography of Europe is less difficult to measure.
According to Charles De Gaulle, Europe extended from
the Atlantic to the Urals. This implies that Europe covers
an area of approximately four million square (4million
SQM) and divided into as many as 40 states.
• These states comes in different sizes with varying degrees
of national power and are epitomes of diversities.
• State like France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom and
Italy have immense power& influence within the
continent and globally.
What and Where is Europe? Cont’d
 However, the continent of Europe can be divided into Seven (7) main geographical
regions namely;
1.Eastern Europe (Russia and Poland).
2. South East Europe (Romania, Hungary, the former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece
and European Turkey)
3.Southern Europe (Italy, Spain, Portugal and minuscule states like the Vatican, San
Marino and Andorra)
4.Central Europe (Germany, former Czechoslovakia, Austria, Switzerland and
Liechtenstein)
5.Western Europe (France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Monaco)
6. The British Isles (the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland)
7. Islands like Cyprus, Iceland and Malta.
In general, Europe is situated on the western tip of the Eurasian land mass. Its coastal
location and the belt of prevailing westerly winds give much of the continent a temperate
climate and sufficient rain. Eastern Europe however suffers from extremes of heat and cold
typical of continental climates while the Mediterranean basin has a dry summer climate.
What and Where is Europe? Cont’d
 Europe as an Idea
 The third notion of Europe is its perception as an IDEA. Europe is
a culture as well as a civilisation which is shaped by its Political,
Cultural and Material History.
 Europe can be seen as a mosaic of values bound together by a
common notion of unity and history. i.e. a combination of values
that are connected by a sheer sense of history framed by the
implication of its cultural and religious heritage, its topography,
political history and multi-culturalism.
 Europe provides normative and substantive leadership for the
world and this has been in action since the time of the Romans
and it has led to a situation where western values have universal
validity.
Ancient Greece and the Spread of
Greek Civilisation cont’d
Historical Development of Ancient Greece
 Ancient Greece is the civilisation that belongs to the period of Greek history lasting from the 8th to 6th
centuries BC to 146 BC and the Roman conquest of Greece after the Battle of Corinth.
 Ancient Greece was mainly a collection of city-States or Polis and amongst these city states are Athens,
Sparta, Thebes, Corinth and Syracuse.
 Some of the notable philosophers associated with ancient Greece include the likes of Socrates, Plato,
and Aristotle. For instance, Socrates developed a method of reasoning known as elenchus, which was
characterized by endless debate or questioning. This Socratic Method involves asking series of
questions not only to draw individual answers, but to encourage fundamental insight into the issue at
hand. The method is still in use till this very day in Western Philosophy.
 Athens was the most powerful and most developed and regarded as the cradle of learning.
 The idea of the city-states in turn gave birth to the original idea of democracy. Democracy emanated
from Athens and direct democracy was introduced by Athenian nobles Cleisthenes, who adopted as the
system of governance in Athens. In the Athenian form of democracy, the citizens of Athens themselves
voted on legislation and executive bills in their own right.
 Today, democracy is regarded as the best form of government worldwide.
 The history of Ancient Greece can be divided into four (4) historical period;
1. Archaic Greece
2. Classical Greece
3. Hellenistic Greece
4. Roman Greece
Ancient Greece and the Spread of Greek
Civilisation cont’d
 On Politics& Law in Ancient Greece
 Politically, Ancient Greece consists of several hundreds more or less
independent states unlike what exist in most contemporary society
which are either tribal or kingdom ruling over large territories. Ancient
Greece was fragmentary in nature due to the hills, rivers and mountains
that divided the city states.
 The Greeks were aware of their tribal origins, but this rarely played a
major role in Greek politics. The independent role of the city states were
strongly defended and the idea of unification was rarely contemplated.
 Ancient Greek city states had different form of governments ranging
from Aristocracy to Tyranny.
 The introduction of democracy gave all citizens equal privileges
however, non citizens such as foreigners and slaves had no political
rights.
Ancient Greece and the Spread of Greek
Civilisation cont’d
 On Education in Ancient Greece
 For most of Greek history, Education was private except in Sparta. However,
during the Hellenistic period, some city states established public schools.
 Much emphasis was placed on male education and the boys learned how to
read, write, quote literature, learned how to sign, play one musical
instrument and trained for military service.
 Girls also learn to read and write and do simple arithmetic so they could
manage the household, but never receive education after childhood.
 The schooling age starts at Seven (7) and Terminates at Eighteen (18)
followed by military training in the army for two (2) years.
 They studied in the Ancient Greece not for job but to become an effective
citizen.
 Some of the greatest school in Athens include the Lyceum and the Plato's
Academy .
Ancient Greece and the Spread of Greek
Civilisation cont’d
On Social Life in Ancient Greece
 in Ancient Greece, only free, land-owning, native
born men could be citizens that are entitled to the full
protection of the law in the city-states.
In most city –states, social prominence did not confer
special rights. In Athens, the population was divided
into four (4) social classes based on wealth and people
change class when they have more money. While in
Sparta, all male citizens were given the title of equal
if they finished their education.
Ancient Greece and the Spread of Greek
Civilisation Cont’d
 On Slavery in Ancient Greece.
 By 600BC, slavery has spread in Greece and by the 5th century BC, Slaves made up one-
third (1/3) of the total population in some city-states.
 Most families own slaves as household servants and labourers and even poor families
might own a few slaves. Owners were not allowed to beat and kill their slaves but they
often promise slaves to work hard so that they can be freed in the future. Freed slaves
were often mixed into the population.
 The city-states legally own slaves and these slaves had a larger measure of freedom than
slaves owned by the families.
 Sparta had a special type of slaves called helots who were enslaved during the
Messenians war by the state and assigned to families where they were forced to stay.
Helots raised food and did household chores so that women could concentrate on
raising strong children .Their masters treated them harshly and helots often resorted to
slave rebellions.
 Slaves had no power or status. Although they had the right to have a family and own
property but this is subject to the their masters goodwill and permission but they had
no political rights.
The Rise and Decline of the Roman
Empire.
 The Rise of Rome
 Roman civilisation arose during the middle of the first millennium BC after the Romans
gain independence from the ruling Etruscans in 509 B.C.. The Romans slowly
established control over the Italian Peninsula, the western Mediterranean, the whole
Mediterranean base and large part of Europe.
 Rome retained its Republican form of government until the first century BC, but there
was considerably political turmoil and struggle that showed the tension between the
lower class, middle class and the ruling class.
 Rome at the earliest stage was governed by kings then as a Senatorial republic.
However, Rome became an empire at the end of the first century BC under Augustus
 Augustus took command in 24BC and made Rome an empire in all but name and the
combination of Roman political control and Greek culture had provided unity to the
Mediterranean basin. The republics accomplishment were military, political &
administrative.
 Rome became successful with its wars and after each war, it extended its rule. These
wars were successful because Rome was able to develop political, administrative and
legal policies to manage newly won territories.
The Rise and Decline of the Roman Empire
cont’d
 Culturally, the Romans borrowed freely from the Greeks but acknowledged Greek
superiority and added their own style to what was borrowed. The Romans however
helped in spreading Greek civilisation because the new Roman state assimilated more
of Greek culture and civilisation.
 These accomplishments was facilitated and symbolised by great architectural
achievements that include s roads, public facilities and monuments.
 There was little resistance to the expansion of Rome and Rome took the inability of its
enemies to unite to continue its expansion and the only threat to the expansion of
Rome was from the Phoenician colony of Carthage. The defeat of Carthage in the three
Punic Wars marked the start of Roman hegemony.
 Roman empire has its center in the Mediterranean sea and controlling all the countries
in its shore. Under Emperor Trajan, the Roman Empire expanded as far as Britain,
Romania and the Mesopotamia.
 The empire was eventually undermined socially and economically by a series of civil
wars which brought to an end the period of peace, civilisation and an efficient
centralised government in the third (3rd) century and from this period, the Roman
Empire experienced a sudden decline.
The Rise and Decline of the Roman Empire
cont’d.
Christianity and Women Under the Roman Empire
 During this period, Christianity arose. It was initially seen as one of many
religious sects and was perceived as a version of Judaism. But through the
missionary work of Apostle Paul and the internal organisation of the
church, Christianity spread and became institutionalised during the 4th
century. Christianity was recognised as a state religion within the Roman
Empire.
 The Roman Empire was a patriarchal society and private life rested upon
the Patria who have paternal power over the subordinate women, children,
slaves and clients. The Roman patriarch was highly respected as
established by a strong gender system that defines the role of a woman as a
supporter of the patriarch’s power.
 Public life was conducted in the name of the Senate and People of Rome,
institutionally defined as exclusively male.
The Rise and Decline of the Roman Empire
cont’d.
Christianity and Women Under the Roman Empire
 The boundary between public & private life became porous and women began to use their
familial roles as instruments of public power. Religion, in particular, offered women a bridge
across class and gender differences, from private to public life.
 Roman women experimented widely with a variety of pagan cults, but increasingly
Christianity attracted women with a vision of a community where in Christ "There is neither
Jew nor Greek, ... Neither bond nor free, ... neither male nor female" (Galatians 3:28).
 However, the religion was susceptible to the influence of wealth & noble women. The
population of women was so energetic and prominent that the religion was labeled a religion
of women and slaves.
 In the fourth and fifth centuries, when the Empire had become Christian, it consolidated new
political and religious hierarchies which reinforced one another. The synthesis was basically a
restructured patriarchy with Christian men firmly in control of both government and church.
But Roman Law and Roman Christianity contained a wider range of choices for women
regarding marriage and property which passed into the hands of Rome's European successors.
The Rise and Decline of the Roman Empire
cont’d
The Decline of the Roman Empire.
 This period describe the gradual and eventual fall of the Roman Empire. The Empire
witnessed enormous economic, political and military problem in the third (3rd) century and
this made the empire shrink and nearly collapsed. Although there was a revival under the
strong leadership Diocletian and Constantine during the late 3rd and early 4th Centuries
proved only temporary.
 By the end of the 4th century, the Roman Empire was split into two (2) halves. The Western
Half and the Eastern Half.
 The Western half was rural and subject to invasion and in decline and by the 5th century, the
Western empire had evaporated While the Eastern half evolved into a long-lasting Byzantine
empire.
 It can be argued that the fall of the Roman Empire can be blamed on the adoption of
Christianity as a state religion. In the word of Gibbon (1776), the adoption of Christianity
meant a better life after death and therefore make people lazy and indifferent to the present.
 The collapse of the Roman Empire created a power vacuum that led to the emergence of a new
political structure, known as Feudalism, in Western Europe. Under this new arrangement,
governance was based on the bond of common people to the land on which they worked.
Europe in the Middle Ages.
Introduction
This period came after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and
its dated from the 5th century to the beginning of the early modern
period which was marked by the rise of nation states, division of
western Christianity, the rise of humanism in the Italian
Renaissance and the beginning of European oversea expansion.
It should be noted that sustained urbanisation of Europe started in
the middle ages and many European states hold their emergence to
events that unfolds in the middle ages
It can also be argued that the present European political
boundaries was as a result of the military and dynastic
achievements during this period.
Europe in the Middle Ages Cont’d
 At this juncture, it is important for us to examine the basic historical division
of the middle aged Europe which will include the following;
 Early Middle Age
 High Middle Age
 Late Middle Age

Early Middle Age

 This period witnessed christanisation of most of Europe and the dark ages
following the fall of Rome.
 It is important to note that during this time, Europe was lagging behind in
terms of development compared to the emerging Muslim world with its vast
network of caravan trade. Islam had over a dozen major cities stretching from
Córdoba, Spain, at this time the world's largest city with 450,000 inhabitants,
to central Asia. The emergence of Byzantine and Feudal Christendom is a
distinguishing characteristic of the early Middle Ages.
Europe in the Middle Ages Cont’d
High Middle Age
• This period is characterised by the emergence of a rift in the church that
could be termed as a Polarisation of the church. Division existed between
the church in Rome and the church in Constantinople.
• Another feature of this age is the rapid growth and expansion in the
population of Europe and this resulted in great social and political changes.
The population growth brought about an economic prosperity for Europe.
 It was also a period of intellectual and artistic advancement that gave birth
to intellectual, spiritual and artistic works. In architecture, many of the
most notable Gothic Cathedrals were built or completed during this era.
• This period also saw to the rise of nation- states in western Europe .
• Other characteristics of this age include:
• End of the Barbarian Invasion, Better political organisation of Europe and
great clearance and emergence of new lands.
Europe in the Middle Ages Cont’d
The Late Middle Age
 The Late Middle Ages which lasted from about the 14th to 15th Centuries
brought to an end to European prosperity and growth. In addition to the
economic slowdown, there was also a drastic reduction in the population
of Europe. It was a period of depopulation of Europe.
 This was aided by series of famines and plagues, such as the Great
Famine of 1315–1317 and the Black Death, which combined to reduce the
population by as much as half.
 The late Middle Ages were also a period of continent-wide social unrest
and endemic warfare. For instance, France and England experienced
serious peasant risings: “the Jacquerie”, “the Peasants' Revolt”, and “the
Hundred Years War”. In addition to all these problems, the unity of the
Catholic Church was shattered by the Great schism. Collectively these
events are sometimes called the Crisis of the Late Middle Ages.
Europe in the Middle Ages Cont’d
The Late Middle Age
 Despite these crises, the 14th Century was also a time of great progress within the arts
and Sciences. A renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman texts led to what has
later been termed the Italian Renaissance. Toward the end of the period, an era of
discovery began. The growth of the Ottoman Empire, culminating in the fall of
Constantinople in 1453, cut off trading possibilities with the East.
 Europeans were forced to discover new trading routes, as happened with Columbus’s
travel to the Americas in 1492, and Vasco da Gama’s circumnavigation of India and
Africa in 1498.
 Some of the distinctive characteristics of the late Middle Ages include:
a. depopulation of Europe
b. economic regression
c. continent-wide social unrest
d. endemic warfare
e. great progress within the arts and Sciences
f. beginning of the era of discovery.
 The Renaissance
Europe in the Early Modern Period.
 The early modern period in the history of Europe is the period between the middle ages
and the industrial revolution dating back to 1500-1800.It is also the period between the
discovery of the New World in 1492 to the French Revolution in 1789.
 A major feature of this period is the rise to prominence of Science. Therefore it can be
regarded as the age of Scientific discoveries and increasingly technological progress,
secularised civic policies and the nation states.
 Another feature of this period is the rise of capitalist economist that started in the
Northern Italian City of Genoa. And there was a rise in the dominance of the economic
theory of Mercantilism
 This period also witnessed the decline and eventual disappearance of Feudalism,
Serfdom and the power of the Catholic church and saw to the reformation of the
Protestant and the 30 year war in Europe that saw to the eventual disappearance of the
powers of the Roman Catholic Church.
 At this Juncture, it is important to summarise the history of Europe in the early modern
period into 4 historical periods
 The Renaissance, The Reformation, The age of Exploration and Conquest and
the Enlightment.
The Renaissance Europe
 This period saw the rebirth of Greek civilisation as Renaissance is the reawakening of the Greeco-
Roman Golden Era. There was a renewed interest in Ancient Greek Culture and civiliastion.
 The Renaissance age started in Italy and spread to the North and West during a period that lasted
for 250 years.
 The impact of the Renaissance were largely felt in literature, philosophy, arts, politics, science,
history, religion and other aspects of intellectual enquiries.
 This period could be said to have brought about a kind of intellectual revolution of Europe . It was
an age where learning was very important.
 And the period derived its inspiration from the growth in the study of Latin and Greek text. And
this influenced literature and the arts as many artists started drawing from Roman and Greek
examples for their works
 The ancient influences notwithstanding, multifacet artist and writers like Leonardo Da Vinci
brought much innovation in this period besides influencing arts and literatures. Intellectual
thinking and writings also had an impact on political thinking as important political precedence
were set in this period. E.g. Niccolo Machiavelli's political writing in his work title The Prince
which later influenced absolutism and real politics.
 In a nut shell, the Renaissance could be viewed as an attempt by intellectuals to study and
improve the world through the revival of ideas from antiquity and through novel approach to
thoughts.
Characteristics of the Renaissance Europe.
 Humanism: this was a major characteristic of the Renaissance Europe, humanism was not
philosophy, but a method of learning which was in contrast to the medieval scholastic mode
which focus on resolving contradiction between authors. Humanist on the other hand would
study text in its original form and appraise them through a combination of reasoning and
empirical evidence. Humanist education was based on the study of 5 humanities which
include Poetry, Drama, History, Moral Philosophy and Rhetoric's
 Arts: arts in this era developed high realistic linear perspectives and this development was
formalised as an artistic technique which was a part of a wider tread towards realism in the
arts. Also, painters developed other techniques such as studying lights, shadow and famously
in the case of Leonardo Da Vinci human anatomy.
 Science: science and arts was very much intertwine in this era as artiste such as Da Vinci
made observational study of anatomy and nature. This was supported by Capra (2007) which
asserts that Da Vinci was a much more greater scientist than previously thought and not just
an inventor. Da Vinci was innovative and devised principles 0f research methods. In this era,
the most significant development was not a specific discovery, but rather a process for
discovery. This new way of learning focused on empirical evidence, the importance of
mathematics. This new scientific method led to great contribution in the field of
astronomy, physics, biology, chemistry and anatomy.
 Age of Discovery and Enlightenment in
Europe
 This topic provides a historical and analytical overview of Europe from the age of discovery
which can also be termed the age of exploration and conquest to Enlightenment.
 What is Enlightenment Immanuel Kant (1784)described it simply as freedom to use one's
own intelligence. More broadly, the Enlightenment period is marked by increasing
empiricism, scientific rigor, and reductionism, along with increasing questioning of religious
orthodoxy.
 Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn was among those who responded, referring to
Enlightenment as a process by which man was educated in the use of reason (Jerusalem, 1783).
 This period was characterised by scientific discovery and in –road to new lands
 It was also a period of huge intellectual leap and at the same time a period of geographical
expansion of Europe to other continents. E.g. in the 15th century, Portugal led the way in
geographical exploration along the coast of Africa in search of maritime route to India
followed by Spain
 Portugal and Spain were the first to set up colonies in America and trading post (factories)
along the shores of Africa and Asia and establishing the first direct European diplomatic
contact with South East Asian states in 1511, specifically with China in 1513 and Japan in 1542.
 Age of Discovery and Enlightenment in
Europe
 Oceanic exploration was also followed by France, England and the Netherland who explored the
Portuguese and Spanish trading routes into the pacific ocean reaching Australia in 1606 and New
Zealand in 1642.
 This colonial expansion continued in the following centuries as Spain had control of the large part
of North America, all of Central America and a great part of South America, and the Caribbean's .
Britain took the whole of Australia and New Zealand, most of India and large part of Africa and
North America. France held parts of the Canada and India, nearly all of which was lost to Britain
in 1763. Portugal obtained Brazil and several territory n Africa and Asia and in the later parts,
countries such as Germany, Belgium, Italy and Russia acquired further colonies.
 This expansion helped the economy of these European explorers as trade flourish because of the
minor stabilities of these empires.
 The exploration and conquest of oversea territories and the prosperity that European economy
enjoyed was a product of the Enlightenment as Enlightenment thinkers gave birth to the rise of
scientific discoveries which served as the engine of the industrial revolution of the European
society.
 With this revolution, powerful Steam ships were manufactured to facilitate exploration activities
of the European states and in addition, more sophisticated weapons of warfare were produced to
aid conquest and territorial expansion.
 The French Revolution
 The French revolution started in 1789 and lasted until 1799. it was
a period of radical social and political turmoil in the history of
France and Europe as a whole as the revolution led to the collapse
of absolute monarchy that had rules France for centuries.
 The revolution led to rapid transformation of the French society
and as a result, traditional privileges evaporated under a
sustained assault from Liberal political groups and common men.
 Feudal, Aristocratic and Religious privileges were lost in the
revolution. Old ideas about hierarchy and traditions succumbed
to the new enlightenment principles of citizenship and
inalienable rights.
 The convocation of the Estate General in May 1789 marked the
beginning of the French revolution .
 The French Revolution
 The following were the defining moments of the revolution in France;
 a. Convocation of the Estates-General in May 1789;
 b. Proclamation of the Tennis Court Oath by the Third Estate in June
1789;
 c. Assault of the Bastille in July 1789;
 d. Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in August 1789;
 e. The march on Versailles in October 1789;
 f. Parliamentary Debates;
 g. Proclamation of the Republic in September 1792;
 h. Commencement of the French Revolutionary War in 1792; and
ultimately
 the
 i. Execution of King Louis XVI in 1793
 Causes of the French Revolution
a. Economic Factors :
b. Bankruptcy and Financial Crisis in France
c. The role of the Enlightenment Thinkers
d. Inequality between the common man and the nobility
e. The Role and the personality of King Lious XVI
 World War 1
World War 1 occurred between July 1914 and
November 11, 1918. the reason why the war erupted is
actually much more complicated than a simple list of
causes. While there was a chain of events that directly
led to the fighting, the actual root causes are much
deeper and part of continued debate and discussion.
The following is an overview of the most popular
reasons that are cited as the root causes of world war 1.
 World War 1
 1. Mutual Defense Alliances
 Over time, countries throughout Europe made mutual defense agreements that
would pull them into battle. These treaties meant that if one country was
attacked, allied countries were bound to defend them. Before World War 1, the
following alliances existed:
 Russia and Serbia
 Germany and Austria-Hungary
 France and Russia
 Britain and France and Belgium
 Japan and Britain
 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Russia got involved to defend Serbia.
Germany seeing Russia mobilizing, declared war on Russia. France was then
drawn in against Germany and Austria-Hungary. Germany attacked France
through Belgium pulling Britain into war. Then Japan entered the war. Later,
Italy and the United States would enter on the side of the allies.
World War 1
 World War 1
2. Imperialism
Imperialism is when a country increases their power and
wealth by bringing additional territories under their
control. Before World War I, Africa and parts of Asia
were points of contention among the European
countries. This was especially true because of the raw
materials these areas could provide. The increasing
competition and desire for greater empires led to an
increase in confrontation that helped push the world
into WW I.
 World War 1
3. Militarism
As the world entered the 20th century, an arms race had
begun. By 1914, Germany had the greatest increase in
military buildup. Great Britain and Germany both
greatly increased their navies in this time period.
Further, in Germany and Russia particularly, the military
establishment began to have a greater influence on
public policy. This increase in militarism helped push
the countries involved into war.
 World War 1
4. Nationalism
Much of the origin of the war was based on the desire of
the Slavic peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina to no
longer be part of Austria Hungary but instead be part of
Serbia. In this way, nationalism led directly to the War.
But in a more general way, the nationalism of the various
countries throughout Europe contributed not only to the
beginning but the extension of the war in Europe. Each
country tried to prove their dominance and power
 World War 1
 5. Immediate Cause: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The immediate cause of World War I that made the aforementioned items
come into play (alliances, imperialism, militarism, nationalism) was the
assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. In June
1914, a Serbian-nationalist terrorist group called the Black Hand sent groups
to assassinate the Archduke. Their first attempt failed when a driver avoided
a grenade thrown at their car. However, later that day a Serbian nationalist
named Gavrilo Princip assassinated him and his wife while they were in
Sarajevo, Bosnia which was part of Austria-Hungary. This was in protest to
Austria-Hungary having control of this region. Serbia wanted to take over
Bosnia and Herzegovina. This assassination led to Austria-Hungary
declaring war on Serbia. When Russia began to mobilize due to its alliance
with Serbia, Germany declared war on Russia. Thus began the expansion of
the war to include all those involved in the mutual defense alliances.
World War 1