NEW UNIT: THE FORMATION OF MODERN EUROPE (AND THE WESTERN WORLD)

GERMAN UNIFICATIONFRIDAY APRIL 13, 2012

Vocab:

1. Nationalism

2. Otto Von Bismarck

3. William I

4. Franco-Prussian War

Guiding Questions:

1. How was the German Empire formed?

PRIOR TO UNIFICATION Germany had never been a united country Made up of a confederation:

Included Prussia, Saxony, Westphalia, Hanover and many other states

Had been the source of conquest for hundreds of years (the Romans, Austrians, Prussians, French, etc)

Been called the Holy Roman Empire, the Confederation of the Rhine and German Confederation

Growing sense of Nationalism: Pride in ones’ country or ethnicity

GERMAN UNIFICATION

The Frankfurt Assembly failed to unite Germany under one leader in 1848 and 1849

Germans thought the Prussians could unite them Prussia had a strong authoritarian government

Very militaristic

King William I wanted to raise a new army to better control the land Prussia legislature said no William appointed a new Prime Minister Otto von Bismarck

OTTO VON BISMARCK

Bismarck was a believer in realpolitik or politics of reality not theory

Raised taxes and built a huge military Went to war with Austria in 1866

Won and organized the North eastern states into the North German Confederation

FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR

France was also a problem Southern German states were Catholic (Prussia is

Protestant) BUT they were scared of France so they signed an alliance with Prussia

France declared war on Prussia in 1870 Prussian forces were very strong Paris surrendered in 1871 France had to pay a billion dollars to give up the

provinces of Alsace and Lorraine to the Prussians

THE GERMAN EMPIRE

Two weeks before the war ended, German princes and nobles met in Versailles United Germany and declared William I to be the

Kaiser or emperor of the Second German Empire The first German Empire was the Holy Roman Empire

Bismarck became Chancellor Known as the “iron chancellor”

The German Empire would quickly become the most powerful power in Europe