AP US History



Mock Trial of Kaiser Wilhelm II

In August 1914 the Great Powers in Europe went to war and changes the history of the world forever. Four years later over 10 million people had been killed as a result of the “Great War” and understandably, people across the world wanted someone to blame for the unimaginable tragedy. In 1919 the winning powers met at the Palace of Versailles in France in part to assess blame for World War I. Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles (the “war guilt clause”) declared that Germany was guilty of causing World War I and Kaiser Wilhelm II was leader of Germany during the War, so ultimately he was responsible, right? Or did responsibility for the Great War lay with more than a single man or single nation? Answering this question in order to better understand the causes and escalation of World War I is the focus of a mock trial simulation our class will prepare for and conduct over the next week.

Charges

1) Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany was ultimately responsible for the outbreak of the Great War

2) Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany was ultimately responsible for the escalation of the Great War

Witnesses

You and a partner will be assigned one of the countries listed below. Your task is to research your country’s role in WWI, and how that role might impact their view of Germany and its leader. You will come up with 4-5 questions (and responses) from their point of view of your country that lawyers will ask you and you will respond to during the mock trial. Your testimony must:

➢ Describe how your country came to be involved in WWI and the role that it played in the fighting.

Include some primary source quotes from leaders or everyday people in your country or specific historical evidence based on research (list sources at end of testimony)

Depending on your country’s role, you will have a different attitude toward Germany and Kaiser Wilhelm. While your country might have a point of view about many other things in WWI too, keep your testimony specific to whether Germany should be blamed.

Witnesses Key People,Events, ideas associated with your country’s role

|Belgium |Rape of Belgium, Liege, Committee on German Outrages, Albert I |

|Russia |Nicholas II, July Crisis, Eastern Front, Russo-Turkish Offensive, Treaty of |

| |Brest-Litovsk |

|England |David Lloyd George, unrestricted submarine warfare, British entry into the war |

|France |Clemenceau, war guilt clause, battle of Marne, Battle of Somme |

|United States |Lusitania, unrestricted submarine warfare, Woodrow Wilson |

|Australia |Gallipoli, Anzacs |

|India |Imperial Service Brigades |

|Serbia |Gavrilo Princip, Dragutin Dimitrijević, Black Hand, Crisis in Sarajevo |

|Austria Hungary |Franz Joseph, Franz Conrad von Hotzendorf, Archduke Franz Ferdinand |

|Ottoman Empire |Enver Pasha, Lawrence of Arabia |

|Germany |Kaiser Wilhelm, alliance system, militarism, Erich Ludendorff, war-guilt clause |

Lawyers

You and a partner or two will be assigned to either defend or prosecute Kaiser Wilhelm II. Your own personal feelings are not relevant. Instead as a lawyer, your task is to come up with evidence & arguments that either prove (prosecute) or disprove (defend) the charges against Kaiser Wilhelm II listed above. You will read your speech either at the start of the mock trial (introductory statement) or at the end of the trial (closing statement). During the trial, you will ask witnesses questions that they provide you. Your arguments will take the form of a written speech that:

➢ Has a neutral judge & jury as an audience

➢ Includes some primary source quotes or other specific historical evidence based on research (list sources at end of speech)

➢ Includes original and persuasive commentary relating to both the charges

Assessment (25 points)

Witnesses and Lawyers will be assessed on their use of preparation time (5 points), their written work - testimony or speech (10 points) and verbal participation during the mock trial (10 Points)

Helpful Sources for Research:











Videos:

Cartoon Summary of WWI



Crash Course World History on WWI:





History Channel short videos relating to WWI



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MY ROLE IN MOCK TRIAL IS:______________________________________________________

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