How do personal tragedies affect the political decisions of leaders? Franz Joseph I, the increasingly isolated emperor of the Austrian-Hungarian empire, faced several traumatic events that likely influenced his decisions in the war. After viewing the installment of the Who Did What in World War I? series, learners gain a better understanding of how and why countries entered the war.

Concepts

causes of world war i, world war i, biographies

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Use the video to prompt a discussion about how leaders' personal lives affect their public decisions
• After viewing the video, discuss how Franz Joseph I's decisions to isolate his empire was an indirect cause of World War I

Classroom Considerations

• Shows two pictures of dead members of the royal family in their caskets

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Clearly connects Franz Joseph I to the causes of World War I
• The animated narrator is engaging in tone and presentation

Cons

• Video is incredibly detailed and may lose some learners in its extensive explanations

Common Core

L.9-10.2.a L.11-12.2.a