the 1871 constitution

Question 1

Who was the Kaiser?

Answer 1

Hereditary monarch-always the king of Prussia

Question 1

What powers did the Kaiser have? (5 things)

Answer 1

1. Appointed/dismissed chancellors
2. Commanded the army directly
3. Controlled foreign policy
4. Gave assent to all laws
5. Had the final say in any dispute over the constitution

Question 1

Who appointed/dismissed the government?

Answer 1

The Kaiser

Question 1

Who were the government responsible to?

Answer 1

The Kaiser

Question 1

What were the governments purpose?

Answer 1

Decided outline of policy

Question 2

How were members of the Reichstag elected?

Answer 2

Elected by males over 25 years old

Question 3

What did the deputies have?

Answer 3

Right to free speech

Question 4

How often were elections for the Reichstag held

Answer 4

Every 3 years

Question 5

What could the Reichstag do? (2 things)

Answer 5

1. Gave content to all laws
2. Could question, debate, agree to or reject a law proposed by a chancellor

Question 6

What could the Reichstag not do?

Answer 6

1. Amend a law
2. Demand the dismissal of the chancellors or any other ministers

Question 7

What was the Reichstag sometimes know as?

Answer 7

The lower house

Question 8

What was the Bundersrat sometimes known as?

Answer 8

The upper house

Question 9

How many members made up the upper house?

Answer 9

58

Question 10

Who were the upper house presided by?

Answer 10

The chancellor

Question 11

Could the upper house initially legislation?

Answer 11

Yes

Question 12

How were decisions decided in the Bundersrat?

Answer 12

By majority vote except for any proposal to alter the constitution which needed a majority of 14

Question 13

What could members of the upper house do?

Answer 13

Veto all legislation except a budget approved by the Reichstag
Give approval to the Kaiser for a declaration of war
Approve all new laws

Question 14

What did article 17 of the constitution state?

Answer 14

It was the duty of the Kaiser to ‘prepare and publish the laws of the Empire and to supervise their execution’

Question 15

What special prerogative powers did tbe emporer have?

Answer 15

The right to declare war or martial war in the case of an emergency

Question 16

How did the constitution describe the position of chancellor?

Answer 16

‘Responsible officer’

Question 17

what was this new constitution dependent on?

Answer 17

an able chancellor and a Kaiser who could forma strong working partnership with the chancellor

Question 18

what did this new constitution combine?

Answer 18

autocratic features with an elected body

Question 19

who were the national liberal founded by?

Answer 19

those who supported Bismarck’s policy of unification

Question 20

who were the national liberals supported by and what did they favour?

Answer 20

wealthy, well educated people. they favoured free trade, a strong Germany and a constitutional liberal state

Question 21

what happened to the national liberals after 1875 and why?

Answer 21

grew more conservative as its members felt threatened by the growing SDP

Question 22

when was the Zentrum party founded?

Answer 22

1870

Question 23

who did the Zentrum party represent?

Answer 23

German Catholics and minorities who were opposed to Bismarck

Question 24

what were the Zentrum party beliefs?

Answer 24

they were determined to preserve the position of the catholic church
conservative regarding the constitution
favoured greater decentralisation

Question 25

who did the SDP represent?

Answer 25

the working class

Question 26

what did the SDP want?

Answer 26

reduction in power of the elites and an extension of the welfare reforms

Question 27

who made up the German Conservative party

Answer 27

the protestant and aristocratic Prussian Junker landowners

Question 28

which political group was the most right wing?

Answer 28

German Conservative party

Question 29

who did the free conservatives represent?

Answer 29

landowners, industrialists and businessmen

Question 30

what did the progressives believe in?

Answer 30

a liberal, constitutional state
disliked centralism and militarism so was not very supportive of Bismarck

Question 31

what were the strengths of the constitution?

Answer 31

• article 3 considered everyone equal
• article 20 men over 25 elected by secret ballot

Question 32

what were the weaknesses of this constitution?

Answer 32

-article 11 controlled foreign policy
-in the bundesrat, constitution could be altered with a majority of 14 votes (Prussia had 17)