Question

1. causes of war discussion examine the claim below and answer all the questions: \the underlying cause of the great war was imperialism\. 1. explain how relevant evidence supports the claim above. 2. explain how relevant evidence refutes the claim above. 3. create a thesis that supports, refutes or revises the thesis. (make sure the thesis has 3 clear reasons - see example below) example - the claim is ____ (true, mostly true, false) because of __, __, and ____. roberto juarez thu jan 22, 2026 at 9:37 am imperialism supports the claim because competition for colonies increased rivalry and tensions among european powers and encouraged militarism, but it also refutes the claim since nationalism and alliance systems were more immediate causes of the war, and overall the claim is mostly true because imperial competition heightened tensions, colonial rivalries deepened mistrust, and imperial ambitions fueled militarism.

Explanation:

1. Supporting evidence: Imperial competition between powers like Britain and Germany over colonies in Africa/Asia created deep rivalries, built up nationalist hostility, and pushed nations to expand military forces, all of which laid groundwork for the war.
2. Refuting evidence: The immediate trigger of the war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and alliance systems, extreme nationalism, and militarism were equally critical underlying causes that operated independently of or alongside imperialism.
3. Thesis: This balances supporting and refuting points to revise the claim.

Answer:

1. Imperial rivalries (e.g., Anglo-German colonial competition in Africa) created long-term tensions between European powers, encouraged military buildup (militarism), and amplified nationalist sentiment, all of which were core underlying factors leading to the outbreak of WWI.
2. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (1914) was the immediate trigger, and systems of secret alliances, virulent nationalism (e.g., Pan-Slavism in the Balkans), and rampant militarism were equally impactful underlying causes that were not directly tied to imperialism.
3. The claim is mostly true because imperial competition fueled cross-European rivalries, militarism, and nationalist tensions, but it is incomplete because alliance systems, extreme nationalism, and the immediate assassination crisis were also critical, interconnected underlying causes of the Great War.