The Origins and Course of the First World War investigates why and how the world went to war in 1914. The course focuses on the causes and course of the First World War, examining 1905-1918. You will focus on crucial events during this period, and study the different political, economic and military changes that occurred.

This study guide will help you to understand the complexities of the First World War. You will investigate themes such as militarism, nationalism, alliances and imperialism, while also exploring the role of economics, government and the military. This guide will enable you to develop the historical thinking skills of causation and consequence, similarity and difference, and change and continuity.

This study guide is split into five key areas.

• ❖ The Alliance System and International Rivalry.
• ❖ The Growth of Tension in Europe.
• ❖ The Schlieffen Plan and Deadlock on the Western Front.
• ❖ The War at Sea and Gallipoli.
• ❖ The Defeat of Germany.

Some of the key individuals studied in this course include:

• ❖ Kaiser Wilhelm II.
• ❖ Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
• ❖ Winston Churchill.
• ❖ Alfred von Schlieffen.
• ❖ Sir Douglas Haig.
• ❖ Erich Ludendorff.

Some of the key events and developments you will study on this course include:

• ❖ The formation of the alliance system.
• ❖ The Anglo-German naval race.
• ❖ International crises in the Balkans and Morocco.
• ❖ The assassination of Franz Ferdinand.
• ❖ The establishment of the Western Front in 1914.
• ❖ Trench conditions.
• ❖ The development of new weapons.
• ❖ Key battles on the Western Front: the Somme and Passchendaele.
• ❖ The war at sea.
• ❖ The Ludendorff Offensive.
• ❖ The Allied 100 days.
• ❖ German defeat and the armistice.

Origins and Course of the First World War forms the first half of paper two. You will have a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the paper. You should spend 45 minutes on the First World War section of the paper. There will be 3 exam questions which will assess what you have learnt on the First World War course.

• ❖ Question 1 is worth 6 marks. This question will require you to describe TWO key features of a certain aspect of the First World War. For example, you could be asked to describe two key features of the Gallipoli campaign.
• ❖ Question 2 is worth 8 marks. This question will require you to analyse two sources before explaining how far the sources support each other. It requires you to cross reference both sources, highlighting similarities AND differences, before concluding on the extent of support. You should aim to include three mini paragraphs explaining how the sources support each other, how they contradict each other before offering your own conclusion. For example, 'How far does Source A support the evidence of Source B about the threat posed.
• ❖ Question 3 is worth 16 marks. This question will give you a historical interpretation and you will then need to argue how far you agree or disagree with the statement on your chosen question. The focus of the question will always be different, focusing on one of the 2nd order concepts such as causation, consequence, change, continuity, similarity and difference. For this question you must use the interpretation alongside the sources from question 2. For example, 'Extract C suggests that Germany was mainly responsible for the outbreak of the First World War. How far do you agree with this interpretation?'.