The Kaiser Germany & world war 1

Question 1

when was the German empire created & when did it end?

Answer 1

1871-1918

Question 2

When did Kaiser Wilhelm 2 start ruling the German empire?

Answer 2

from 1888

Question 3

What did the German constitution make the Kaiser into?

Answer 3

made the Kaiser most powerful figure in the government

Question 4

What was the German parliament called & how much power did it hold?

Answer 4

Reichstag
held little power

Question 5

What factors prove that the kaiser had the ultimate power?

Answer 5

personal control of army & foreign policy
appoints & dismisses the chancellor
can dissolve Reichstag at any time

Question 6

And who could become the kaiser?

Answer 6

inherited position (rules like a king)

Question 7

What is the bundesrat?

Answer 7

representative members of each state in the German empire

Question 8

What needs to be given by the bundesrat for all legislations? But what can the kaiser do to the bundesrat?

Answer 8

bundesrat’s consent is needed for all legislation

but can be overruled by the kaiser

Question 9

What did bundesrat have more than compared to Reichstag?

Answer 9

more power than the Reichstag

Question 10

How did the Reichstag work? Who are they elected by?

Answer 10

members elected by the public every 3 years ( five years after 1888)
members passed/reject legislation handed down by bundesrat

Question 11

What could the Reichstag not do?

Answer 11

cant put forward it’s own legislation
no say in who become chancellor/who’s serves in government

Question 12

What can the chancellor do? What does it not need the support of?

Answer 12

running the government & proposing new legislation
doesn’t need support of Reichstag/Bundesrat to stay in power

Question 13

what did kaiser Wilhelm 2 not believe in? What did he dislike doing?

Answer 13

didn’t believe in democracy
disliked working with the Reichstag

Question 14

What did kaiser Wilhelm 2 put his trust in and often relied on?

Answer 14

placed his trust in army

(often) relied on military advisors to make important decisions

Question 15

What did Germany look like before 1871?

Answer 15

made of independent states (one was called prussia)

Question 16

What did the Prussian army play an important role in?

Answer 16

Germany’s unification in 1871

Question 17

What did Wilhelm believe about the upper classes and what did he want to make germany?

Answer 17

upper classes held most of the power (traditional German class system)

a world power

Question 18

What was Wilhelm 2 influenced by and what he adopt for Germany?

Answer 18

prestige and power
system of militarism

Question 19

what did the system of militarism mean for Germany?

Answer 19

strengthen the army & navy (military) —–> increasing Germany’s influence

Question 20

What happened in the early 20th century for Germany?

Answer 20

economy modernised & working classes grew

Question 21

When did Germany economy expand massively?

Answer 21

1890-1914

Question 22

What was Germany producing that doubled and what happened by 1914?

What was Germany also successful in?

Answer 22

coal and iron production doubled
1914- 2/3s of Europe’s steel

new industries (chemical manufacturing)

Question 23

What happened as a result of industrialisation in Germany?

Answer 23

new jobs created –> German cities population grew –> working class grew—>upper class had less economic power

Question 24

What did working class play a role in Germany?
How were working conditions like?
And what were they starting to have?

Answer 24

larger part in German society
working conditions were poor
growing sense of identity & wanted better representation

Question 25

What did the working class playing a bigger role in German society contribute to?

Answer 25

rise in socialism —> led to growth in support for SPD (social democratic party) in Germany

Question 26

What is socialism?

Answer 26

a political ideology promoting equality & public ownership of industry

Question 27

What did Wilhelm 2 & the German aristocracy fear?

Answer 27

growth in socialism —> a revolution –> overthrowing of monarchy & destroying German class system

Question 28

What did right wing parties and left wing parties have?

Answer 28

strength and gaining support

Question 29

What made Prussia different from the other parties?

Answer 29

more power than the other states

Question 30

What did population increase from in Germany?

Answer 30

40 mil 1871 –> 68 mil 1914

Question 31

What could farmers not supply?

Answer 31

couldn’t supply all the food needed –> relying on food imports

Question 32

What was the proof that support for spd was increasing?

Answer 32

30% of seats in Reichstag 1921

Question 33

What were living standards like in Germany?

Answer 33

low
food & fuel shortages
major flu epidemic

Question 34

How many widows & fatherless children like?

Answer 34

600,000 widows
2 million children

Question 35

What became worse during the war in German society?

Answer 35

divisions in living standards between the rich and poor

Question 36

What did the navy laws allow more of?

Answer 36

building of more battleships

Question 37

How did war shortages help left-wing parties?

Answer 37

suffering & inequality (war shortages) –> support (left-wing parties)

Question 38

What is Weltpolitik?

Answer 38

world “foreign” policy