3.2 Filling the powder keg

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• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

3.2 Filling the powder keg

Typical aspects:

- The roll of modern propaganda.

- The modern form of imperialism that held a connection to industrialization.

At the end of this lesson....

• You will be able to explain what nationalism is and what it was like in Western-Europe and the Balkans.
• You will be able to explain what militarism is.

What do you remember from the last lesson?

Intro

In the early 1900's Europe could be called a powder keg. It was filled to the brim with causes. One reason made it explode. This explosion is the outbreak of WWI. 

What are the causes that filled the powder keg?

1. Nationalism

Extreme pride in one's own people and country.

''Our country is the best!''

(In Western-Europe and the Balkans.)

Germany

• German nationalism got a boost after the Franco-German War. Why?
• The Germans wanted everyone to know how strong they were.
• The chancellor, Otto von Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm I were determined to strengthen the country's position. 

France

• France was insulted by Germany's rise to power.
• They wanted revenge, because they felt humiliated and lost a large piece of land (Alsace-Lorraine).
• Revanchism became an important part of French nationalism. 

Great Britain

• Great Britain vowed to stay out of the drama on the main land.  
• GB was proud of her strong navy and colonial empire. 
• They were mainly concerned about what happened at sea.
• ''Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves; Britons never shall be slaves''

The Balkans

• The  Ottoman Empire couldn't stop the rise of nationalism in the countries in the empire and to respond to the calls of independence. (Serbia, Greece, Romania)

• ''The sick man of Europe''

The Balkans (2)

• Austria-Hungary came about when the emperor of Austria became the king of Hungary as well.
• It tried to profit off the back of the Ottoman Empire.
• Austria-Hungary became a multinational state. 

Nationalism

2. Militarism

• Being proud of everything that has to do with the army. 
• Trust in the power of a country's own army.

Arms race

• It was honourable to serve your country  and militaristic ideas were glorified.
• Countries competed in having the strongest army ==> Arms race.
  
• Germany tried to compete with GB at sea. 
• 1898: Germany's first naval law. Expand en modernise. 

England responded by building Dreadnaughts.

Communism

• Countries battled to have the best industry. A stronger industry meant a stronger country.
• They also wanted to be the best in making technological advancements.
• This economic rivalry brought communism and the arms races closer together. 

Explain what this picture has to do with militarism.

Nationalism

Militarism

Homework

Paragraph 3.2 exercise 1, 2, 3, 4, 5a and 7