A Fire Waiting to Be Lit: Origins of World War I

On June 28, 1914, an angry young man opened fire on a car going through the streets of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. The murder of Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, sparked a conflict that exploded into a war enveloping much of the world, causing more than 16 million deaths, and leaving 20 million people wounded or missing. World War I lasted four years and brought destruction on a scale that no one had imagined. Why and how did the world go to war in 1914? For more Common Core World History resources, visit http://crf-usa.org/resources/world-history-resources