The Debate on the Origins of World War I

National History Day
2022 Guides - Theme: Debate & Diplomacy in History
Research Guide Image
Franz Ferdinand

Getting Started

Begin your research by brainstorming keywords - the words and phrases you’ll use to search for books, articles, websites, government documents, and other resources. These may include names of people and places or historical concepts like eras and movements. A librarian can suggest “subject headings” to find the most relevant resources.

Example Keywords & Catalog Subject Headings

World War I 1914-1918
Triple Entente
Triple Alliance
July Crisis
Balkan Wars
World War, 1914-1918 -- Causes.
World War, 1914-1918 -- Diplomatic history.
Europe -- Politics and government -- 1871-1918.
Europe -- History -- July Crisis, 1914.

Books/Print Resources at DPL

Catastrophe 1914 : Europe Goes to War
George, Nicholas and Wilhelm : Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I
German diplomatic documents, 1871-1914 (Primary Source)
The war that ended peace : the road to 1914

Database/Online Resources

Library databases are online collections of information, organized for research. Databases contain articles, eBooks, images, maps, primary sources and more. If you don’t have a library card, register online for immediate access to these resources. The following recommended databases are available on our Research and Teen Social Studies pages.

Academic OneFile (Gale)

Articles from over 17,000 scholarly journals and other authoritative sources—including thousands of podcasts and transcripts from NPR and CNN as well as videos from BBC Worldwide Learning. Covers subject areas such as, biology, chemistry, criminal justice, economics, environmental science, history, marketing, political science, and psychology.

Available with library card

Visit Academic OneFile (Gale)

Sample Articles
Mapping the Causes of World War I to Avoid Armageddon Today
Prelude to the guns of August: conventional wisdom says that WWI was caused by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but that was merely a handy event used by leaders to push their agendas
Bulgaria in the First World War
Austro-Ottoman relations and the origins of World War One, 1912-14: a reinterpretation
Sample Articles
Goodbye to all that (again)? The Fischer thesis, the new revisionism and the meaning of the First World War
THE JULY CRISIS
The Anglo French Entente 1904
Sample Articles
The Shadows Lengthen
Turkey's Momentous Moment
Taking Sides on the Great War
War and Nationalism : The Balkan Wars, 1912–1913, and Their Sociopolitical Implications
Sample Articles
AUSTRIAN FEAR OF SERB EMPIRE IS REAL WAR CAUSE: Analysis by Prof. Hart Shows That the Anti-Slavic Elements in Austria Have Been Both Furious and Apprehensive Since the Balkan War Over the Rising Power of Servia. AUSTRIAN FEAR OF SERB EMPIRE IS REAL WAR CA
DIPLOMATIC DOCUMENTS THAT LED UP TO THE WAR: Full Text of the Harsh Austro-Hungarian Ultimatum That Started the Present Great European War and Servia's Reply to It are Here Published in Full for the First Time.
BRAVERY OF ARCHDUKE.: Gave First Aid to Those Wounded by the Bomb
SAYS KAISER SOUGHT AN EXCUSE FOR WAR

Prospector: Materials from Other Colorado and Wyoming Libraries

​​As a Denver Public Library customer, you can also borrow materials from other libraries in Colorado and Wyoming. Use Prospector to request materials that DPL does not own.

The Outbreak of World War I : Causes and Responsibilities
Forgotten wars : central and eastern Europe, 1912-1916
Rumors of the Great War : the British press and Anglo-German relations during t…

Internet Sources

Before using information you find on the internet for assignments and research, it is important to establish that the information comes from a reliable and appropriate source. The following websites, from government, academic and nonprofit organizations, have been evaluated for authority, accuracy, content and currency.

Six Causes of World War I - Norwich University
An overview of six causes that led to World War I.
Colonialism
A look at how colonialism aided in the tensions leading up to the war.
Why did Britain go to war?
From the National Archives of the United Kingdom. A brief overview of the main causes of WWI with a focus on Britain.
World War I Timeline
A timeline of events leading up to WWI and beyond.
The Causes of the Balkan Wars 1912-1913 and their Impact on the International R…
An article from the Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences focusing on the Balkan Wars and the impact on international relations before WWI.

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