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Bismarcks rise to power
In 1861 William I became king of Prussia. The next year he appointed Otto von Bismar ck opposed democracy and the idea of a parliament. He believed that the state not the people should hold the authority. He may also believed it was Prussias destiny to lead the german people to unification. -
The Danish War
On the border between Demark and Germany lay two small states the duchies pf Schleswig and Holstein. The population of holstein was entirely German. Schleswig's population included a mixture of Germans and Danes. In 1863 King Christian IX took the Danish throne. -
The Seven Weeks' War
As Prussian influinced expanded Bismarck prepared for conflict with Austria. Persuaded Napoleon III of France to remain netrual then formed an alliance with the new nation of Italy. Finanly Bismarck pervoked Austria into declaring war on Prussia in 1866. -
Francon-Prussian War
When Franco received a telegram from king William, Bismarck edited the telegram so that it sounded like the king had insulted the french imbasssador. When the telegram was published it so enraged the french that in july of 1870 they declarded war on Prussia. As Bismarck had expected the southern german state united against the french threat. -
Formation of the German Empire
For Germany the treaty ending the Franco-Prussian War was not as important as an event that took place before its signing. On January 18, 1871, representatuves of the allied German states met in the hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles near Paris. Although he disliked constitutions, Bismarck accepted a constitution that united the 25 German states in a federal for of government . The emperor called the kaiser, headed the government
