German and Italian Unification Flashcards
Age of Nationalism
Occurred in the last half of the 1800s when leaders in many European areas, especially Italy and Germany, created strong unified nations
Napoleon’s territorial changes in 1806-1812
Annexed the Rhineland for France
Dissolved the Holy Roman Empire
Created the Rhine Confederation
The German Confederation
created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815
A weak alliance led by Austria
The Zollverein
Prussian economic union that dissolved tariff barriers between between German states, but did not unify them politically
The Frankfurt Assembly
Demanded political unity, offered the throne of a united Germany to Frederick William IV of Prussia, but he rejected and unification was delayed
Otto von Bismarck
Prussian Junker (conservative land-owning noble), Ambassador to both France and Russia, the “architect” of German unification
William I
King of Prussia, made Bismarck Prime Minister, and later appointed him Chancellor- the highest position within the monarchy short of a king
realpolitik
Bismarck’s policies- realistic politics based on the needs of the state, power was more important than principles
Hohenzollern
Ruling family of Prussia
Blood and Iron speech
Famous speech of Bismarck to the Prussian Legislature arguing for more funds for the Prussian military and that through a strong military Prussia would achieve greatness, but his request was refused
Stage 1 of German Unification
Alliance with Austria, together they seized the German-speaking provinces of Schleswig and Holstein from Denmark during a brief war and divided them between themselves (Prussia got Schleswig, Austria got Holstein)
Stage 2 of German Unification- the 7-Weeks War
aka Austro-Prussian War
Bismarck created a border dispute with Austria about Schleswig and Holstein
Prussia attacked Austria and defeated them in 7 weeks
Results of the 7-Weeks War
Prussia annexed Holstein and several other north German states
Austria was lightly punished
The Austrian led German Confederation dissolved and the Prussian led North German Confederation took its place
Venetia was taken from Austria and given to Italy
Stage 3 of German Unification- the Franco-Prussian War
By this time, only 4 southern german states remained independent. they were catholic and resisted Protestant Prussian leadership
Bismarck predicted they would unite with Prussia if they were faced with a foreign threat such as France
France declared war on the Prussians after the altered Ems Telegram was released, just as Bismarck had wanted
The Franco-Prussian War
Prussia captured 80,000 French forces including Emperor Napoleon III
Sieged Paris for 4 months until they surrendered