German Unification: What were the consequences of the 1848–49 Revolutions?

Question 1

Metternich’s fall: Impact

Answer 1

-Austrian Rule under atack in Italy Hngary and Germany
-peasants attacked landlords, stormed castles and destroyed feudal records
-artisans destroyed machines that were considered a threat to their livelihood

Question 2

Revolution Event Summary

Answer 2

-south was the first affected
-peasants attacked owner and tax officials
-Prussia - Mrach days -> Kinf Frede William IV acepted many demands : NEW CONSTITUTION, ACCEPTANCE OF NATIONALISM , NEW CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY WITH DELEGATES FROM EACH STATE

Question 3

Frankfurt parliament

Answer 3

hoped to agree on series of basic rights and demands:

-freedom of press
-fair taxation
-equal political rights for al citizens without regard for religion
-German Citizenship for all

->Karl Brown intorduced abolition of censorship, reform of judiciary, army having to swear oath to constiution

Question 4

Frankfurt Parliament: Unrepresentative Body

Answer 4

-mainly educated middle class
-while 70% of population lower class -> manufacturing, traders and peasants unrepresented

IMPACT - people’s interests not met -> lost interest and support in parliament -> higher chances of monarchy returning

-because educated -> wasted time on debating legalistic terms rather than making chances - lost impetus

Question 5

Frankfurt Parliament: Divisions

Answer 5

-Klein vs Gross Deutschland
-Catholic South vs Protestant North
-Prussia or Austria dominance

IMPACT - uncertainty and division -> no plan-> ineffective

Question 6

Frankfurt Parliament: Limited Appeal

Answer 6

-offered little to masses
eg : for peasants: even abolition of feudal dues came with compenation to owners
-little acceptance for protection of workers
-did not want protectionst measures - > peasants could not keep up with import prices

Question 7

Frankfurt Parliament: overreliance on Prussian Army

Answer 7

-Danish King wanted to annex Schleswig and Holstein
-> Germany opposed this -> needed Prussian Army to solve the issue - powerless

Question 8

Fall of the Frankfurt Parliament

Answer 8

FP voted to elect Frederick WIlliam as Emperor

He refused - crown from the gutter
believed hecould only be appointed by princes
-did not want to be emperor if it meant he had to put prussia under FP control
-saw it as ‘a dog collar with which they want to chain me to the revolution of 1848’
-he was a king by the grace of god not the people
-aware if he accept the crown - might have war with Austria and Prusssia

Question 9

Situation in Prussia after Frankfurt Parliament - Frederick William

Answer 9

King apppointed liveral ministry and agreed to election of assembly to draw up new constitution

Question 10

The Prussian Constitution

Answer 10

-freedom of religion, assembly and association

-two house representative assemly - lower house elected by male suffrage and upper by land owners

-king retained control over army

-king could alter constituion at any time

-ministers appointed and dismisse by the king , responsible only to him

Question 11

Prussian Union Plan - Erfurt Union

Answer 11

King wante to be King of united germany appointed by princes ->Erfurt Union - > proposal of Klein deutschland with hip at its head to othe states

-A german empire excluding austria -> not member but special relation

-Erfurt union - 28 states agreed to join, but some influential ones declined fearful of Austrian reactin and of Prussian ambitions

Question 12

Prussian Union Plan: Austrian opposition

Answer 12

-Scharzenberg summoned Bundesrat
-Put forward Gross deutschland scheme which attracted states as it gave them more political influence ->states desrted erfurt

Question 13

Why did the Erfurt Union fail?

Answer 13

-Fear of Austrian Reaction
-Summoning of Bundesrat
-Punctation of Olmutz
-States did not like prussian ambitions compared to austrias ambitiond

Question 14

Punctation/ Capitulation/ Humiliation of Olmutz

Answer 14

Hesse Cassel revolution (member of erfurt union)
requested elp fro, Frankfurt Bundesrat

Prussia also mobilised btu confederation gave ultimatum stating only they could intervene -asserted dominance

Question 15

Austrian Problems - Political Economic Social

Answer 15

-isolated by Prussian dominaqted zollverein

-high taxes and low government expenditure -> inflation

-deficit left from Metternivh

-crimean war - high costs of mobilisation and ready for action

Question 16

Prussian Economic Success

Answer 16

-good education system -metternich

-plenty supply of coal iron and chemials

-good system of communicaions - railway development growth through the years - > encouraged coal iron and steel indurties

Question 17

Prussian Politics: Growth of Liberalism and Conservative Reform

Answer 17

increase in liberal strength
CONSERVATIVE REFORM:

peasants freed from feudal obligations

low interest loans to allow peasants to buy land

financial help to move to less populated aareas

encouraged payment of minimum wages

Children uder 12 forbidded to work in factories

Question 18

Reform of the Army

Answer 18

-William and Von roon’s main concern because army had not been increased since 1815

REFORM WANTED:
-double the size of army
-increase military service from 2-3 years
-re-equip the troops
-reduce strength of Landwehr

LIBERALS DISAGREE : liked Landwehr (guarantor of liberaly freedoms against reactionary forces)

-did not want higher taxes

Question 19

Constitutional crisis and solution

Answer 19

-By 1860 - only agreed to increase military budhet but not to ectended military serviece

-liberals formed Progressive Party -gained majority after election

-September 1863, STILL DID NOT PASS THE Bill - appointed Bismarck as Minister President 1862