Final answer:
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand combined militarism and nationalism to trigger World War I, as it led to a chain reaction of war declarations among Europe's complex alliance system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand:
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the result of the combination of militarism and nationalism, which were two broad causes of World War I. Militarism had led to an arms race and a sense of inevitability about war among European powers, while nationalism created deep divisions and a desire for independence among various ethnic groups. The tragic event occurred on June 28, 1914, when Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist, assassinated Franz Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo, during their official visit. This assassination is considered the spark that ignited the war.
The already tense situation was escalated due to a complex system of alliances, where Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, leading to an activation of the European alliance system. Germany, allied with Austria-Hungary, supported the attack, which brought Russia into the conflict to defend Serbia. France and Great Britain then became involved due to their alliances with Russia. The rise of nation-states and movements for independence among ethnic minorities within empires such as Austria-Hungary added to the combustible atmosphere.