SAMPLE ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. If no one wanted a major war, why did the First World War occur?
2. "The First World War marks a watershed in modern European history?" Agree or disagree citing historical evidence to prove your position.
3. "In an era of nation-states, Austria-Hungary was an anomaly - - a condition that made the First World War inevitable." Defend or refute this statement.
4. Historians often assert that, in the long view of history, the Treaty of Versailles, 1919, accomplished none of the goals of the victorious nations. Defend or refute this assertion.
5. Using the statistical information provided below as a starting point, identify and explain World War I's impact on Europe in the early 20th century..
Military Fatalities in World War I
Germany
2,000,000
Russia
1,700,000
France
1,500,000
Austria-Hungary 1,250,000
British Empire 1,000,000
Italy
500,000
Ottoman Empire 500,000
United States
100,000