Final answer:
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was perceived as a political plot because it was carried out by a member of the Black Hand, a group supported by Serbian officers, aiming to further Serbian nationalism and weaken Austro-Hungarian rule over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife was seen as a political plot because it was carried out by Gavrilo Princip, a member of the Black Hand, a nationalist group backed by Serbian military officers. The group's intent was to encourage Slavic nationalism and to detach Bosnia-Herzegovina from Austria-Hungary to create a larger Serbian state. The Archduke's killing in Sarajevo was no accident; it was a carefully planned and politically motivated act that aimed at destabilizing Austria-Hungary's rule over Bosnia-Herzegovina and to promote Serbian national interests.
The Black Hand had earlier attempted to kill the Archduke with a bomb but failed. Later that day, due to a fortunate turn of events for the assassins, the Archduke's driver took a wrong turn and stumbled upon one of the conspirators, who then seized the opportunity to shoot the royal couple. These events suggest an orchestrated effort with political aims rather than a random act of violence. This is why it was widely considered to be a political plot, as the subsequent fallout led to a cascade of diplomatic failures resulting in World War I.