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At first, Napoleon III was welcomed when he invaded Germany. He brought enlightened ideas and modern policies. He eased trades, freed slaves, and abolished laws against Jews. Although Germany liked him at first, many viewed him as a foreign invader to their lands.
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The goal of the Congress of Vienna was to settle the issues from the French Revolution wars and create lasting piece in Europe. They also wanted to restore hereditary heirarchies. They didn't want to create new independent nations, they wanted to bring Europe back to the way it was before.
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Born in Schönhausen, west of Berlin, Otto Von Bismarck was born in a wealthy family estate. His father was also a military officer, and Bismark was able to get a good education.
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The Zollverein was the alliance of German states. It dissolved tariff barriers between the German speaking states. This means it stopped the need of paying taxes to import and export goods to each other. During this time people offered the throne to Frederick William IV, but he rejects it because it was offered by the people.
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The purpose of the Frankfurt Assembly was to plan the Unification of Germany. Here leaders from the German states discussed problems that may occur and territory issues. They also made Germany's constitution on March 28, 1849.
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When offered the throne, Frederick William IV refused it. This is because the people decided to offer the throne to him, instead of someone of higher class and ranking.
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Germany made advances in electrical and chemical industries. Germany also had an abundance of coal and iron that is necessary for producing steel. They also built an infrastructure and created large companies.
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Bismarck was very interested in the use of military instead of compromise to get what he wanted, especially when manipulating others. He made the Blood and Iron Speech, saying he will not unify Germany through compromise and talking it out, but through war.
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King Wilhelm I appointed Bismarck as Prime Minister in 1862. As Prime Minister Bismark was determined to unite the German states into one single empire.
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Bismarck declares war on Denmark to add more territory to Prussia. He wanted to gain control of the territories Schleswig and Holstein.
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After creating an alliance with Austria during the war with Denmark, Bismarck declares war on Austria. This was to take control of Holstein and other North German States.
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When the new Germany was created, Bismark became the chancellor. He wanted to make Germany the most powerful leader in Europe and he offered health insurance and other needs to help certain groups of people.
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German Marxists organized the Social Democratic party, they called for a true parliamentary democracy and laws to improve working class conditions. Bismarck feared that socialists would cause a revolution. He passed laws that dissolved Socialist groups, shut down newspapers, and banned meetings. Moves backfired again and the working class unified to support socialist cause. Bismark then decided to support laws to protect workers and gave health, accident, and old age insurance.
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Bismark made it necessary that a war against France would help the unification of Germany. He used the invasion of French forces 60 years earlier to stir nationalist feelings. He made a letter from Wilhelm I that sounded like he was insulting Napoleon III that made France declare war with Prussia. Germany took the victory and gained control of Alsace-Lorraine.
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The Second Reich (empire) of Germany created by Bismarck. It was during the unification period and reached its climax during the Franco-Prussian war.
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In January of 1871, Bismarck drafted the constitution which consisted of the Bundesrat upper house, and Reichstag lower house. The reichstag was the parliament and the Bundesrat is a legislative body, or federal council.
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A highly educated workforce started to develop as the population grew. In 1871 it went to 41 million people. In 1914 it went up to 67 million people.
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During this time in Germany, catholics made up 1/3 of the population, and Bismarck wanted to stop Catholic threat. The state was given the right to oversee all Catholic teaching. The moves backfired and the faithful rallied behind the church, so Bismarck made efforts to make peace with the church. People who resisted the Kulturekampf were imprisoned or exiled.
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In the Versailles palace, William I was named Emperor, by Bismarck. He thought that the gods chose him as ruler and not by the people.
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A German steel company that was famous for producing ammunition and armaments. It became the main arms manufacturer for the Prussian military.
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William II believed that he was given the crown by God and had the divine right to rule. He lavished his funds on military, and was a strong nationalist and aggresive military stance increased tension leading up to WWI.
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After William II asked Bismarck to resign since William II believed there was only won master and that was him. He later died on July 30, 1898.
