The First World War

What the unit covers

The resources follow the war from its origins to its aftermath. For the road to war, there are mind maps on the Schlieffen Plan, the Balkan wars and the Bosnian Crisis 1911, plus several on the causes of WW1, from alliance systems to the arms race. Flashcard decks cover the Moroccan crises and the Black Hand gang.

The Western Front

This is the busiest part of the page. The notes on the British sector of the Western Front 1914-1918 explain the trench system and the nature of trench warfare. The slide set Western Front - Illness and Disease and the mind map Medicine on the western front look at wounds, infection and care. There are also maps on the Somme and Passchendaele.

Home front and peace

Beyond the fighting, you will find mind maps on the role of women in WW1 and the home front, and a World War I Propaganda Practice quiz that asks you to study a poster and its techniques. For the ending of the war there are resources on the Armistice, the Paris Peace Conference and the Treaty of Versailles.

Where to start and how to combine tools

1. Begin with a broad mind map such as Causes of WW1 to get the outline.
2. Read a note, such as the one on the British sector of the Western Front 1914-1918, to fill in detail.
3. Take a quiz, such as The Western Front 1914-1918 Quiz, and see which answers you missed.
4. Go back to the matching map and flashcards for those gaps.

Some resources name exams such as GCSE History, A-level History, National 5 History, IB History, AP European History and AP US History, so look for the one that fits your course.

Where it sits

This unit belongs to the strand The World Wars and the Interwar Era (1900-1945) in History. Teachers can pick ready-made quizzes and decks for a class, and students can choose a single battle or treaty and work through it. Choose one topic today and give its quiz a go.