Reasons For German Unification By 1871 Flashcards
When was the German confederation established?
1815
When did Germany unify?
1871
What groups campaigned during this time, for unification without success?
Liberals, middle class, students and some peasants
What were som obstacles to unification?
Nationalist splits and religious differences
Who is Otto con Bismarck?
A Prussian born into a junket family in 1815
What was Bismarck appointed as by King William 1 after the death of Frederick William IV?
Minister President of Prussia
What kind of time was Bismarck appointed as minister President and what did he help stop?
He was appointed at a time of crisis and stopped the King abdicating over a military dispute by ignoring Prussian Landtag and raising taxes to strengthen the army
How was Bismarck important to German unification?
Some historians believe Bismarck is the reason for unification and engineered all the key situations
How wasn’t Bismarck important to German unification?
Other historians believe he was a lucky opportunist who simply exploited situations that arose
What allowed Prussia to build a strong military?
Economic success
Who blocked King Wilhelm from creating a stronger army?
Prussian parliament ( Landtag)
Bismarck helped him
What wars did Bismarck engineer which made Prussia look strong?
German v Danish war after Denmark took control of Schleswig-Holstein (1863)
Austria-Prussian war (7 week war) created north German Confederation
Franco-Prussian war uniting south and north German states
What does Prussian military strength link to?
Prussians economic strength, to fund powerful army
Links with actions of Austria and napoleon 111 of France too
How was Prussian military strength important to German unification?
Strong military needed to dispose of rivals who were opposed to a United Germany
Prussian army also kept control of their own people
Whose economies grew significantly in the 1850s and why?
Prussian and Germany’s
Due to the Zollverein and Prussian access to the Rhine
What was part of the economic growth in Germany?
Massive rail building programme
What does Prussian economic strength link to?
Decline of Austria due to the Zollverein exclusion and also Prussian military strength due to funding of large army
How was Prussian economic strength important to German unification?
Zollverein meant that other German states were tied to Prussia and had to follow their lead
Strong economy was what allowed Prussia to build a large powerful army
What was Bismarcks role in Prussian economic strength?
Limited role for Bismarck; success of the Zollverein was not his act and occurred almost 30 years before he took office as minister president of Prussia
Why did Austria loose their main foreign supporter (Russia)?
Austria refused to back Russia in Crimean war, even thou Russia helped end Austria 1848 revolutions
What was in decline especially compared to Prussia?
Austrias economy
What does decline of Austria link to?
Links with Prussias military and economic strength highlighting the decline in power of Austria
How was decline of Austria important to German unification?
Russian support for Austria may have prevented Austro-Prussian war; without it Austria had no foreign supporters
Weak economy also made it hard for them to build a strong army or influence other states
What was Bismarck’s role in the decline of Austria?
Many actions not due to Bismarck; the Zollverein and decision of Austria to not support Russia helped Prussia but we’re not bismarck’s actions
Bismarck did keep good relations with Russia, including allowing them to access Prussian land during a battle with polish forces
Who did Prussia build strong links with through the Zollverein?
Other German states
What was Prussia seen as by many states?
Military protector especially after war with Denmark
What does attitudes of other states link to?
Link with Austrians failure to get Russian support before Austria Prussian war due to not supporting Russia during Crimean war
What are arguments for importance of attitudes of other states in German unification?
Many German states remained wary of likely Prussian dominance of a United Germany but were tied to Prussia due to economic and military issues
What was Bismarck’s role in other states attitudes?
Close economic links not due to Bismarck
Bismarck did build stronger army and engineer wars which brought the states together
Bismarck also worked with other European states to prevent their interference
Who did Bismarck persuade not to interfere in the Austro-Prussian war?
Napoleon 111 in exchange of extra land for France
What were France surprised at?
The quickness of the Austro-Prussian war (seven weeks)
What were France angry about?
They weren’t given land (as promised) after the Austro-Prussian war
What does actions of Napoleon 111 link to?
Link with Prussian economic and military strength in defeating France
How was actions of napoleons 111 important in German unification?
An external enemy was essential to persuade the southern states to unite and fight - napoleon 111 provided this by taking Bismarck’s bait
What was Bismarck’s role in actions of Napoleon 111?
Bismarck engineered the entire French war, so allowing him to unite the states
His decision to build a large army suggests he was preparing for this
Bismarcks role in Prussian military strength?
Bismarck key to creating a strong army by defying the Prussian Landtag
Bismarck also engineered the wars which helped achieve unification
