BA Conflict and tension: the First World War, 1894-1918 revision notes

BA Conflict and tension: the First World War, 1894-1918

Historical Context BA Conflict and tension: the First World War, 1894-1918 belongs within Paper 1 Section B: Wider world depth studies for AQA GCSE History 8145. The period focus is 1894-1918. Students should place the named events and developments in chronological order before making a judgement. The central curriculum points include Triple Alliance, Weltpolitik, Sarajevo, Schlieffen Plan, Verdun.

Key Events Key people, groups and developments should be connected to the approved learning objectives rather than treated as isolated facts. The Alliance System, including the Triple Alliance, Franco-Russian Alliance, Entente relations, Moroccan crises and Balkan crises and their effects on international relations. Anglo-German rivalry, including Britain's challenge to Splendid Isolation, Kaiser Wilhelm's foreign policy aims, Weltpolitik, colonial tensions, European rearmament and the Anglo-German naval race. The outbreak of war, including Slav nationalism, Serbia and Austria-Hungary, Sarajevo assassination, July Crisis, Schlieffen Plan, Belgium and reasons for the escalation of conflict. The Schlieffen Plan, including reasons for the plan, its failure, the Battle of the Marne and its contribution to stalemate. These points help students choose precise evidence for short-answer, narrative and essay questions.

Causes Causal explanation should separate long-term conditions from short-term triggers. Evidence should be named, dated where possible, and linked directly to the claim being made. In this topic, useful evidence comes from the specified events, periods, individuals and groups in the source curriculum.

Consequences Consequences should be explained as outcomes of events or developments, not confused with causes. Interpretations should be compared by identifying what each interpretation claims, why it may differ, and how contextual knowledge supports or challenges it.

Historical Significance Significance is more than importance. It asks why an event, person or development mattered at the time and over time. Keep source and interpretation, causation and consequence, change and continuity, similarity and difference, and evidence and opinion clearly separated.

Exam Focus In exam answers, start with the command word, select precise historical evidence, and keep the response anchored to the selected route. Use chronology where it clarifies the argument. For extended responses, make a judgement and support each paragraph with evidence. Revision focus 1: The Alliance System, including the Triple Alliance, Franco-Russian Alliance, Entente relations, Moroccan crises and Balkan crises and their effects on international relations. Anchor this point to Part one: The causes of the First World War, use specific evidence, and explain whether it is best used for context, cause, consequence, change, continuity, significance, source utility or interpretation evaluation. Revision focus 2: Anglo-German rivalry, including Britain's challenge to Splendid Isolation, Kaiser Wilhelm's foreign policy aims, Weltpolitik, colonial tensions, European rearmament and the Anglo-German naval race. Anchor this point to Part one: The causes of the First World War, use specific evidence, and explain whether it is best used for context, cause, consequence, change, continuity, significance, source utility or interpretation evaluation. Revision focus 3: The outbreak of war, including Slav nationalism, Serbia and Austria-Hungary, Sarajevo assassination, July Crisis, Schlieffen Plan, Belgium and reasons for the escalation of conflict. Anchor this point to Part one: The causes of the First World War, use specific evidence, and explain whether it is best used for context, cause, consequence, change, continuity, significance, source utility or interpretation evaluation. Revision focus 4: The Schlieffen Plan, including reasons for the plan, its failure, the Battle of the Marne and its contribution to stalemate. Anchor this point to Part two: The First World War: stalemate, use specific evidence, and explain whether it is best used for context, cause, consequence, change, continuity, significance, source utility or interpretation evaluation. Revision focus 5: The Western Front, including military tactics, technology, trench warfare, attrition, Verdun, the Somme and Passchendaele, and the reasons, events and significance of these battles. Anchor this point to Part two: The First World War: stalemate, use specific evidence, and explain whether it is best used for context, cause, consequence, change, continuity, significance, source utility or interpretation evaluation. Revision focus 6: The wider war, including other fronts, Gallipoli and its failure, and the events and significance of the war at sea including Jutland, U-Boats and convoys. Anchor this point to Part two: The First World War: stalemate, use specific evidence, and explain whether it is best used for context, cause, consequence, change, continuity, significance, source utility or interpretation evaluation.