On June 28, 1914, countries were still looking for the power that we had seen in the era of imperialism, but how can you conquer a nation that was already civilized? The answer is: war. A war that can expand borders and bring pride to one's country. War is the solution, but how do you start a war? At the time of Archduke Francis Ferdinand's death, the world was on the brink of war. Nations were looking for a reason to regain their honor and test their military capability. All the tensions that existed within and between countries accumulated with nationalism, the arms race and civil conflicts. Until an event that at first only led to war between two nations, but not just any war, was the First World War. This event occurred in Bosnia, in Sarajevo, where Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was assassinated. The death of Franz Ferdinand marked the start of World War I, which laid the foundation for how future wars would be fought, and later, the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was assassinated. by Gavrilo Princip, member of the Black Hand. The Black Hand, a Serbian nationalist group, believed that with the death of Ferdinand, the monarchy could abandon territories lost in the Balkan Wars (Happy New Year), in order to achieve a Greater Serbia (Principle). However, the Black Hand's motives were never satisfied. Instead, the Black Hand only received the imprisonment of Gavrilo Princip, too young to face the death penalty (Happy New Year). The assassination of François Ferdinand was the straw that broke the camel's back and opened Pandora's box. The start of a protracted war dating back to...... middle of paper ...... "CHAPTER 2: The Lights Go Out in Europe." Daily life: First World War. 10-17. United States: Good Year Books, 2006. Historical Reference Center. EBSCO. Internet. April 16, 2011. “Francis Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria-Este. » Britannica Biographies (2010): 1. Middle Search Plus. EBSCO. Web. April 10, 2011 “This was to be the war to end all wars. » Evening Telegraph (Derby) November 3, 2008: 22. Journal Source Plus Web, April 3, 2011. Levinson, Martin H. “MAPPING THE CAUSES OF WORLD WAR I TO AVOID ARMAGEDDON TODAY: A Review of General Semantics.” 62.2 (2005): 157-164. Literary reference center. Web. April 3, 2011. “Magyars.” Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th edition (2010): 1. Literary Reference Center. .."Saint-Germain, Treatise of."Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th edition (2010): 1. Literary reference center. Web April 18.. 2011.