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Napoleon invades German Lands
Napoleon and the French army invaded on Germany lands to promote new rights, easing restictions on the Jews, and promoting the Napoleonic Code. They were also promoting nationalism. -
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Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a meeting in which the four chief countries (Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain) started to complete the "Final Act" after Napoloeon's abdiction. While they were here, they decided that they should form a Diet (loosely-framed parliament for the entire German Confederation) that included Germanic states and the Austrian empire. -
Otto Von Bismarck birth
Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck was born April 1, 1815 in Schönhausen, Germany at his family’s estate in the Prussian heartland west of Berlin. He grew up in a fairly wealthy family with his father being a Junker and his mother who came from a family of academics/goverment ministers. -
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Zollverein
The Zollverein was a coalition of German states that dissolved tariff barrriers between German speaking states. It was also a time where people offered the throne to Frederick William IV who rejects it because it was offered by the people. -
Frankfurt Assembly demands unity
The Frankfurt Assembly was a group of about 600 delegates that met to replace the German Confederation with a constitution for a unified Germany. The Assembly failed to finish this constituion whilst the revolution was still going on, but continued it later and completed it. -
Frederick William IV is offered the Throne
Frederick William IV was offered the imperial crown by the Frankfurt National Assembly. He refused it declaring that he would only accept it from German princes being the conservative he was. After this, he destroyed the Assembly's written constitution that they drafted. -
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Economic development
The economic growth was due in large part to the abundance of natural resources. Distribution of such resources included iron and coal. The work force at the time was highly skilled and worked hard with their education. -
Blood and Iron speech
“Germany does not look to Prussia’s liberalism, but to her power... The great questions of the day are not to be decided by speeches and majority resolutions - that was the mistake of 1848 and 1849 but by blood and iron!” -
Bismarck declares war on Denmark
Bismarck decides to attack Denmark to gain German-speaking territories. This war involved the team-up of Prussia and Austria after the king of Denmark declared that Schleswig and Holstein would be a part of Denmark. -
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Bismarck declares war on Austria
Also known as the Seven Weeks War, the Austro-Prussian War began when Bismarck tried to expel Austria from being in the German Confederation to advance the unification between Germany under Prussian order. The conflict was also brought on because of the dispute between Austria and Prussia over dominance in Schleswig-Holstein. -
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Franco-German War
The Franco-German War was a war that waged between a coalition of German states led by Prussia fought France. This was the war that finally completed the quest of a unified Germany. The war also ended French leadership in continental Europe. -
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Campaign against the Socialists
Marxism began to contribute to the German Socialist party in 1870. This concerned Bismarck since he thought that the socialists would soon undermine their loyalty and rebel against them. The working class soon joined the rebellion and Germany became a model for other European nations when the dispute ended. -
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The Second Reich
The Second Reich, also the German empire, was created by Bismarck and the three wars he began. The Second Reich continued until the abdication of Kaiser WIlhem II in 1918. This was also the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. -
Bismarck becomes chancellor
Bismarck was appointed as chief minister of Prussia next to the king William I. While in this position, Bismarck was able to manipulate WIlliam I into agreeing with all his ideas and intellect thus making it seem as though Bismarck was really the one in charge. -
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Constituiton drafted by Bismarck
The Constitution of the German Empire is also known as Bismarck's imperial constitution. It was enacted in 1871 and ended its use in 1919. This was the basic law of the German Empire in the time of its use. The constitution stated how empire was led by the king of Prussia, who also held the title of the German emperor. -
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Kulturkampf
In Germany, 1/3 of the population was made up of Catholics. Bismarck attempted to stop this by creating the Kulturkampf, otherwise known as the battle for civilization. After rallies began when Bismarck began to enforce rules on the church, he did not fight back and made peace with the church. -
William I of Prussia becomes Emperor
William I was given control of Germany in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles while Bismarck was at his side as the chancellor. He was often persuaded by his chancellor even if did not disagree with his ideas. He even gave consent to the Kulturkampf even though he disliked Bismarck's tendency to go against the Roman Catholic Church. -
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Population growth 1871-1914
During the last quarter of the nineteeth century, population in Germany grew drastically. The population grew from annual rate of 0.47 in 1871 to 1.21 in 1914. It grew the most after the end of World War I. -
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House of Krupp
The House of Krupp belonged to the Krupp family who owned a factory that produced weaponry during World War II for the Nazis. The family was famous for designing new types of weaponry and producions. -
William II becomes Kaiser
William II became Kaiser and succeeded the throne after his grandfather's death. He proved to be very effective, especially when he asked Bismarck to resign in 1890. His believed in divine right theory and used his money to lavish on the military. -
Bismarck resigns
Bismarck was ordered to resign by the new emperor of Germany William II. The Kaiser and Chancellor often never agreed with anything. After his resignation, he retired to one of his estates in Hamburg and died there in 1898.
