The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Past Moments from History)

Explore the pivotal event that ignited World War I in this engaging episode of "Check This Out!" designed for curious kids and their grownups. Learn about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, and how this tragic act set off a chain reaction of alliances, rivalries, and conflicts across Europe. 

Discover what made the Balkans the "Powder Keg of Europe" and how the assassination led to a global war involving over 30 nations, including the United States. 

We'll also explore key facts about WWI, such as trench warfare, chemical weapons, and the collapse of empires—all explained in a kid-friendly way. Perfect for young history enthusiasts, this episode encourages critical thinking about how a single moment in history can change the world forever. Tune in to understand the causes and consequences of one of the most significant events of the 20th century.

#HistoryForKids #WorldWarI #ArchdukeFerdinand #GreatWar #KidsHistory #LearnHistory #WorldHistory #HistoryPodcast #EducationalForKids #TeenHistory #EuropeanHistory #WWI #HistoryExplained #HistoryLessons #HistoricalEvents

Transcript

There are past moments in history that set off chains of events in ways that can be surprising.  That is the case of the past moment we are highlighting in todays episode.  Have you heard of World War 1? Do you know how it started? Well that is the past moment you’re going to hear about today… 

On june 28th, 1914 the Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated by a Serbian national named Gavrilo Princip who was part of a terrorist organization known as the Black Hand.  The assassin was just 19 years old.  

One month later, Austria declared war on Serbia and World War I began…. 

Cece: Welcome to Check this out! Podcast for kids 

And their grownups where we explore people, places, ponderings and past moments from history that shape the world around us.  My name is Amy Contreras, and I’m Cece.  

Today’s episode is all about the assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, his wife Sophie, and how this moment contributed to the start of World War 1.  

Check this out! 

Did you know that World War 1 is also referred to by another name? 

Cece: Want to take a guess? 

(PAUSE) 

World War 1 is also called “The Great War”.   

The Great war or World War 1 started in the summer of 1914 after Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were shot.  The war lasted 4 years, ending in 1918.  More than 20 million soldiers died during World War 1 and 21 million more were wounded.  

Cece: Thats a big number 

Well Cece, World War 1 had high numbers of dead and injured because it was the first major modern war so its impacts were massive. We will talk about this a little bit more later, but WW1 is remembered for its trench warfare, which led to these numbers.  

Cece: Oh my goodness 

Trying to talk about past moments from history like the assassination of archduke franz Ferdinand can be tough to do in just a few minutes but this past moment in history had a big ripple effect that led into WW1.  

Cece: First things first 

Before we get into this past moment I want to encourage all of our listeners at check this out to put on their critical thinking hats.  History has lots of past moments but history is rarely simple.  In today’s episode we are going to talk about how the archduke’s assasination led to WW1, and this is true.  But do you think it was the only reason WW1 happened?

Cece: No! 

There were several factors that ultimately led to the great war.

In the early 20th century, Europe was filled with intense nationalistic feelings, military build-ups, and complex alliances. 

Cece: What do you mean mama?

Basically things in Europe had been really tense for a long time.  There were lots of empires where European countries were controlling other places and people feeling nationalistic meant they didn’t want a foreign country ruling over them any more.  Think of it like you have a toy, but your big brother or sister come in and claim that toy as their own, even though its yours and they start telling you when and how you can play with that toy.  Being nationalistic would be the equivalent to not wanting someone else to tell you how to play with your own toy!  

Cece: Got it 

And there were lots of alliances across europe, which is like countries being friends with each other,  The alliances promised that each country would support the other if war ever broke out between an ally and another Great Power.  But there were lots of alliances that also kind of conflicted with each other.

Cece: More on that later 

Yes, back to the assassination and the past moment in history we are talking about! Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the throne of the The Austro-Hungarian Empire. Today this empire no longer exists because after WW1 it split into 2 countries that still exist today!  Want to take a guess what they are? 

Cece: ummmm i got nothing 

Today the austro-hungarian empire is the countries of austria and hungary. 

Cece: that makes sense! 

But the empire controlled even more than those 2 countries. Other countries that were under this rule became their own indpendent states too after the war, like  Czechoslovakia, and parts of Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia. 

Before WW1the Austro-Hungarian Empire had a lot of unhappy people and there was unrest.  The parts of the empire that were especially unhappy wanted independence or union with Serbia, which was another country that was a neighbor to the austro-hungary empire.  

Cece: Huh?  

Think of it this way,  the country of Serbia was neighbors with the empire that Archduke Franz Ferdinand was ruler of, and they didn’t like how his empire was using its power to influence their country.  Some people wanted to leave the empire and go to Serbia or help Serbia be more independent.  

Cece: Got it 

This part of Europe where all these countries were is also known by another name.  Want to guess? 

Is it 

1. The slavic region 
2. The austro region 
3. The Balkan region

That was a hard question, the answer is C, the Balkan region.  

Cece: How was life there? 

The balkan region was sometimes called the "Powder Keg of Europe," because it was ready to blow at any moment because of all the tension between the countries.  Before WW1 and the archduke’s assassination it was particularly volatile due to everything we just talked about! 

Cece: A lot was happening 

Here is what it boils down to…  Serbia wanted more independence and unity, which threatened the Austria-Hungary Empire’s hold over its people and policies.  

Cece: History can be complicated 

You’re right! It is, because we have to understand all this other stuff that was happening to understand why someone who was only 19 would shoot and kill the Archduke and his wife sophie!  

Cece: I get that 

So here is what we know so far.  

1. The archduke and his wife were assassinated by being shot on June 28th 
2. He was assassinated by a Serbian national who was only 19 years old 
3. There was unrest between the archduke’s empire and Serbia 
4. There were lots of things happening across Europe that led to WW1 including complicated alliances and empires 

Now i think we can get back to the past moment itself…The Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

Cece: Here we go! 

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the heir to Austria-Hungary’s throne. This means he was next in line to be king.  

Cece: Fancy 

He traveled with his wife Sophie to visit a city called Sarajevo, which was the capital of Bosnia and at this point in time it was part of Austria-Hungary empire.  The trip was  an official visit for the archduke to meet key politicians and review the army.  When they arrived they got into a motorcade that took them through Sarajevo in an open-topped car, they weren’t aware of the danger awaiting them 

Cece: Uh oh 

Franz Ferdinand was targeted by a group of young Bosnian Serb nationalists affiliated with the terrorist group or secret society The Black Hand. They believed that killing Ferdinand would help unite their territories and stand up to the empire's control.

Cece: Tell us more 

Although the archduke was eventually assassinated by being shot, that wasn’t the only attempt at taking his life! Initially, a bomb was thrown at Ferdinand’s car by another member of the blackhand, but the bomb missed. 

Later that day, Gavrilo Princip shot and killed the archduke and his wife, Sophie, in a nearby street. 

Cece: Thats terrible 

How the did Assassination Led to World War I? 

After the assassination, the Archduke’s empire held Serbia responsible for supporting the Black Hand and overseeing the terrorist group. Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, demanding severe concessions and suppressing anti-Austrian activities. 

Cece: What happened? 

Serbia’s response was partially compliant but not enough for Austria-Hungary.  The empire declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914.

Remember those alliances I was telling you about earlier?  

Cece: Yea 

The alliance system pulled a bunch of countries into the conflict almost immediately 

Cece: Can you explain that to me? 

• Germany was allied with Austria-Hungary, and they supported its declaration of war against serbia.  And declared war on Serbia, Russia and France. 

Cece: Why? 

• Russia supported Serbia and mobilized against Austria-Hungary and Germany.
• France and Great Britain entered the war to support their alliances with Russia and Belgium.

Cece: My mind is blown 

Yea, so all it took was austro-hungary’s empire to declare war on serbia and right away 7 countries were involved.  Because of these alliances, what could have been a localized fight expanded into a full-scale war across Europe, and became World War I. Ultimately over 30 nations got involved in World War 1, including the US, who joined in 1917.  

Cece: Thats a big deal 

Youre right.  This assasination was a spark that lit up the powder keg that was ready to blow in europe.  Before we wrap up, there are a few things you should know about the war that came out of this assassination.  

Fact #1.

A defining feature of the war, especially on the Western Front, was trench warfare, where soldiers lived in dug-out trenches for extended periods, facing harsh conditions and constant danger. 

Fact #2

.

World War I saw the first large-scale use of chemical weapons, including mustard gas, which caused horrific injuries and suffering. 

Fact#3

.

The war was a testing ground for new technologies, including tanks, airplanes, and machine guns, which significantly altered the nature of combat. 

Fact #4

.

The war resulted in the collapse of four major empires: the Russian, German, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman empires.

Now before we let you go, here is a little poem we made for you to help you remember some key details about this past moment from history 

On June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo town,

Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s life was brought down.

A young man named Princip took aim with might,

And shot him and Sophie on that fateful night.

Their deaths sparked a war so vast and wide,

Starting World War I, with millions to die.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was a tragic event that sparked a chain reaction across Europe. His death brought together a tangled web of alliances, tensions, and conflicts that led to the outbreak of World War I. This war changed the world forever. 

Understanding this moment in history helps us see how a single act of violence can have huge consequences, reminding us of the importance of peace and diplomacy. 

Thanks for listening to another episode of check this out.  We use verified sources when creating episodes for you. 

Cece: Our sources are 

history.com, imperial war musuems, encyclopedia brittanica, biography.com, and norwhich university 

Cece: Thanks for listening, see you next episode, don’t forget to subscribe! 

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/june-28/archduke-ferdinand-assassinated 

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/voices-of-the-first-world-war-the-shot-that-led-to-war 

https://www.theworldwar.org/learn/about-wwi/june-28-1914 

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Franz-Ferdinand-Archduke-of-Austria-Este 

https://online.norwich.edu/online/about/resource-library/six-causes-world-war-i-0 

https://www.biography.com/political-figures/franz-ferdinand