Page 29 - Year 8 Spring 2026 Knowledge Organiser

History: WW1: 1 of 2

Keywords:
Word War One: A global conflict involving the main European Powers and their empires from August
1914 to November 1918.
Long term cause: Factors/causes which happen a long time before an event takes place.
Short term cause: Factors/causes which happen just before an event takes place – usually a catalyst.
Militarism: An emphasis on military ideals and strength. Wanting your country to have a strong army
and navy.
Alliances: A group of countries who promise to support and protect each other. Rival groups have
rival alliances.
Imperialism: The desire to conquer colonies, especially in Africa. This brought the powers in conflict:
Germany wanted an empire. France and Britain already had empires.
Nationalism: The belief that your country is better than others. This made nations assertive and
aggressive.
Triple Entente: Alliance between Great Britain, France and Russia.
Triple Alliance: Alliance between Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary.
Western Front: Zone of fighting where Germany engaged armies to its west in WWI.
Trench Warfare: Is a type of land warfare using occupied fighting lines consisting largely of trenches,
in which troops are significantly protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially
sheltered from artillery.
Prussia: Was a major military and economic power in Central Europe during the 18th and 19th
centuries. Prussia included half of modern Poland and all but southern Germany.

Key individuals:
Archduke Franz Ferdinand: Next in line to be ruler of Austria-Hungarian Empire.
Assassinated in 1914 in Bosnia.
Field Marshall Moltke: The chief of staff of the Prussian Army for thirty years, he is
regarded as the
creator of a new, more modern method of directing armies in the field.
Gavrillo Princip: Serbian Nationalist. Member of Black Hand. Assassinated Archduke
Franz Ferdinand.
King George V: King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of
India 1910 - 1936.
Tsar Nicholas II: Leader of Russia 1894 - 1917
Kaiser Wilhelm II: Emperor of Germany, 1888 - 1918
Alfred von Schlieffen: Creator of the plan for German invasion of France through
Belgium.