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Napoleon Invades German Lands
Between 1806 and 1812, Napoleon invaded German lands and made important changes. He annexed lands along the Rhine River for France, he dissolved the Holy Roman Empire by enforcing the emporer to lesser his title to king, and he organized a number of German States into the Rhine Confederation. -
Congress of Vienna
After Napoleon was defeated, Metternich pointed out that a united Germany would require dismantling all of the governments for each German state. The peacemakers then created the German Confederation, a weakened alliance headed by Austria. -
Birth of Otto Von Bismarck
Otto Von Bismarck was born in a small town north west of Berlin. Bismarck ended up becoming a great German nationalist and military leader, who helped Germany gain land and fight wars -
Zollverein
During the 1830's, Prussia created an economic union called Zollverein. It dismantled tariff barriers between many German states, still, Germany was politcally fragmented. -
Frankfurt Assembly demans unity
In 1848, liberals metting in the Frankfurt Assembly again demanded German political unity. They offered the throne of a united German state to Fredrick William IV. -
Fredrick William IV is offered the throne
Since the liberals demanded unity in Germany they offered the throne to Fredrick William IV. Fredrick William later rejected the offer of the throne. -
Bismarck Becomes Prime Minister
Bismarck first served as a diplomat in Russia and France. In 1862 King William IV made him Prime Minister. -
Blood and Iron Speech
The speech was given when Bismarck was the prime minister. It carried to him becoming the chancellor of Prussia and he used it as is policy to say war will unit his nation. -
Bismarck declares war on Denmark
In 1864, Germany created an alliance with Austria. The two nations declared war on Denmark. Prussia and Austria won and took Holstein and Schleswig -
Bismarck declares war on Austria
In 1866, Bismarck had previously had an alliance with Austria. Later, he wanted Austria's land and created an excuse to attack them and declared war on them. -
Bismarck drafts the constitution
Bismarck drafted a constitution for his new German Empire. The constitution set up a two-house legislature, the upper house was mad up of the German State rulers and the lower house was made up of the universal male sufferage. -
Bismarck becomes Chancellor
After about a decade of being prime minister, Bismarck became chancellor of Prussia. He used his "blood and iron" policy to unite Germany under Prussian rule. -
Franco Prussian War
In 1870, the Prussian victory over Austria angered Napoleon III. The growing rivarly between the two countries led to the Franco-Prussian war. Prussia spanked the poorly organized French army. -
William I becomes emporer
Willaim I was a prevois prince in Southern Germany. The North Germany Confederation then persuaded him to take the title of kaiser. -
Second Reich
In January of 1871, Germany celebrated the birth of their second reich or empire. They called it their reich because they considered it heir to their Holy Roman Empire. -
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Population Growth
The German middle class and educated professionals helped to create a productive and efficent society that prided itself on its sense of responsibility and defence of authority. Between 1871 and 1914 the population grew by 26 million people in Germany -
Economic Development
After 1871, it issued a single currency for Germany, reorganized the banking system, and coordinated railroads built by various German states. When a depression hit in the late 1800's, the new German empire was determined to maintain economic strength as well as military power. -
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House of Krupp
After 1871, the business boomed. It became an enormous inudstrial complex that produced steel and weapons for the rest of the world. -
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Campaign against the church (Kulturekampf)
Bismarck saw the Catholics as a threat so in response he started the campaign against the church. His goal was to make Catholics put loyalty to the state above allegiance to the church. -
Campaign against the Socialists.
In the late 1870's Bismarck also saw the Socialists as a threat. Bismarck feared that the Socialists would undermine the loyalty of German workers and turn them toward revolution. -
William II becomes Kaiser
In 1888, William II succeeded his grandfather as Kaiser. The new emporer was confident in his abilities and wished yo put his own stamp on Germany. -
Bismarck resigns
In 1890, William II shocked Europe and asked the mighty Bismarck to resign. He said "There is only one master in the Reich, and that is I."
