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WWI: War of a New Century

The industrial revolution of the late 1800's brought the world into a new era that would change the way wars
were fought forever. Not only did improved agriculture allow populations to increase, thus enabling countries to
build huge armies, but improved means of production in factories empowered these new militaries with
unimaginable weapons. Machine guns, tanks, airplanes, improved submarines, and chemical warfare like mustard
gas were used for the first time in WWI, and would soon horrify a world that had glorified war in the past. Most
people had no idea of the devastating consequences this new technology could produce.

The European continent was very unstable in the years leading up to WWI. Industrialization sparked amazing
competitions between European countries. Nations scrambled around the world taking over country, after
country in order to acquire cheap sources of labor, raw materials for factories, and new markets for their
finished goods. It was a kind of game, and it was hard to know who to trust. European leaders were constantly
making deals with one another, often going behind each others backs, while siding with the enemy.
They were continuously making and breaking alliances or "friendships." Thus, people became used to this
instability. When Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was shot and war seemed inevitable, European heads
of state predicted a quick, unserious skirmish that would be over in 4-6 weeks. Citizens of each country rallied
around their troops, cheered them on, and romanticized about heroism and bravery. No one had any idea those
four weeks would turn into five long years of a gruesome and senseless war no one seemed to understand.

This website is designed to help students grasp a better understanding of the events leading up to and through World War I. There are a variety of multimodal activities to give students a comprehensive overview of the war and will provide them with the means to do further research.