Kaiser Wilhelm and Germany (1888-1918) Part One of Germany 1890-1945

Question 1

Prior to the unification of Germany in 1871, what was the most powerful German state?

Answer 1

Prussia.

Question 2

What Prussian ideals were brought into the newly formed German government after unification?

Answer 2

Militarism, the belief that a country should have strong armed forces.

Question 3

Who was the new German supreme leader after unification?

Answer 3

The Kaiser.

Question 4

The Kaiser was supported by ministers in the Reichstag, the chief minister being called the?

Answer 4

Chancellor.

Question 5

Who has the ultimate say after the Reichstag drafted and voted on laws?

Answer 5

The Kaiser.

Question 6

Who made all key military and foreign policy decisions?

Answer 6

The Kaiser.

Question 7

When did Kaiser Wilhelm II become Kaiser?

Answer 7

1888.

Question 8

Who was Wilhelm the grandson of and how did this influence his dreams for Germany?

Answer 8

He was the grandson of Queen Victoria and saw its empire, the largest in the world and its navy, the largest in the world, wanting to achieve similar goals with Germany.

Question 9

What process did Kaiser Wilhelm accelerate due to his ambition?

Answer 9

Industrialisation, and he made Germany the largest producer of iron and steel by 1913.

Question 10

German society was very elitist at the time, with the success of industrialisation leaving factory and land owners very rich and the poor, working class underpaid and in poor conditions often, what did these working class people create to oppose the Kaiser?

Answer 10

Trade unions.

Question 11

Which party did the working class favour during the Kaiser’s reign?

Answer 11

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) who believed in socialism, the idea that power should be shared equally among people.

Question 12

When Kaiser came to power, other European nations had many major?

Answer 12

Overseas empires, particularly in Africa and parts of Asia.

Question 13

What idea came from Kaiser Wilhelm’s ambition for an overseas empire like other European nations?

Answer 13

‘Weltpolitik’ meaning ‘world policy’, the idea of Germany conquering other parts of the world.

Question 14

Kaiser Wilhelm admired the British and this lead him to want a large and powerful _____. What word completes the sentence?

Answer 14

Navy.

Question 15

Why did Wilhelm want to create a large navy?

Answer 15

To protect Germany from potential invaders who had a larger navy like Great Britain and to colonise countries abroad.

Question 16

What was introduced between 1898 and 1912, that saw the expansion of the navy?

Answer 16

Naval laws, which saw the Kaiser spend great sums of money to fulfil his goals.

Question 17

The Kaiser also expanded the army to boost military strength, what did this mean for the ordinary, working class though?

Answer 17

Taxes were raised and money was borrowed to pay for the militarisation of Germany.

Question 18

How was socialism a problem for the Kaiser?

Answer 18

Socialism directly opposed the Kaiser’s autocratic form of government and many wanted to rebel against the Kaiser and take over the country by force and enforce a Socialist government.