Final answer:
European powers competed for territories primarily in Africa and Asia before World War I, seeking resources, markets, and strategic advantages, with Germany's late imperial aspirations clashing with older empires, exacerbating tensions and leading to the war after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before the outbreak of World War I, European powers competed fiercely for territories in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. These territories were valuable due to their natural resources, potential for new markets, and strategic naval positions. Germany, with its relatively late unification and expansionary aims, clashed with established empires such as Britain and France, all seeking to expand their global influence. This competition fuelled colonial conflicts and heightened tensions within Europe, leading to an arms race and a complex web of alliances. The fragile balance of power, once a peacekeeping mechanism, turned into a catalyst for war after failing to adapt to new political dynamics and military technologies. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand set into motion a chain of events that leveraged the existing alliance systems, drawing nations into a conflict that would ultimately become the Great War.