Which event is commonly taught as the starting point of World War II in Europe?

• A. Treaty of Versailles
• B. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
• C. German Invasion of Poland
• D. Great Depression

Answer: (C)

The key idea is identifying the event that marks the start of World War II in Europe. The German invasion of Poland is the best answer because it was the first major act of aggression that broke the post–World War I peace and prompted Britain and France to declare war on Germany, bringing widespread military conflict to Europe. The other options helped shape the conditions for the war but did not themselves trigger it: the Treaty of Versailles set up postwar issues that contributed to later tensions; the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand sparked World War I, not World War II; and the Great Depression created economic hardship that aided the rise of extremist movements, but it did not by itself begin the fighting.