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The Unification of Germany

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Do Now: Describe the roles Mazzini, Garibaldi, and Cavour played ... On Jan. 18, 1871, King Wilhelm I of Prussia was crowned kaiser. The Balance of Power Shifts ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: The Unification of Germany


1
The Unification of Germany
  • Aim How did nationalism contribute to the
    formation of Germany?
  • Do Now Describe the roles Mazzini, Garibaldi,
    and Cavour played in Italian unification.

2
Do Now Italian Unification
  • Joseph Mazzini provided inspiration with
    pamphlets organized Young Italy Movement he was
    called the soul of Risorgimento (Italian
    unification process)
  • Camillo di Cavour provided political leadership
    as prime minister of Sardinia-Piedmont, did much
    diplomatic work for unification
  • Guiseppe Garibaldi provided military leadership
    Red Shirt campaigns helped free the Two Sicilies
    he was called the sword of the Italian movement

3
Efforts to Unite Germany
  • 1815 39 German states formed the German
    Confederation
  • The two largest states, the Austro-Hungarian
    Empire and Prussia, dominated the Confederation

4
Prussia
  • Prussias population was mostly German
  • Nationalism unified Prussia
  • Prussias army was the strongest in Central
    Europe
  • Prussia industrialized at a faster rate than
    other German states
  • Prussia also created an economic union called the
    Zollverein
  • The Zollverein eliminated tariff barriers between
    many German states

5
Prussia Leads German Unification
  • Prussia faced a revolution in 1848
  • Rioters forced King Frederick William IV to call
    a constitutional convention and accept a liberal
    constitution
  • 1861 Wilhelm I succeeded Frederick William to
    the throne
  • He wanted to reform the army and double the size
    of the Prussian military

6
Clashes with Parliament
  • Parliament did not want to spend money to
    increase the size of the military
  • The Junkers, or wealthy landowners, support
    Wilhelm
  • All of Wilhelms military officers and ministers
    were from Junker class
  • He also chose Otto von Bismarck, a Junker, to
    become his Prime Minister

7
Otto von Bismarck
  • Otto von Bismarck used realpolitik to accomplish
    his goals
  • Realpolitik was tough politics without idealism
  • Realpolitik was based on the needs of the state
    and valued power over principles
  • When Bismarck could not get Parliament to agree
    with him, he ruled without their consent and
    without a legal budget
  • This was a violation of the constitution

8
Question What emotions do you believe this quote
would evoke?
  • The great questions of the day will not be
    settled by speeches or by majority decisions
    that was the mistake of 1848 and 1849 but by
    blood and iron.
  • Otto von Bismarck

9
Germany Expands
  • Bismarck formed an alliance with Austria
  • Prussia and Austria then attacked Denmark to gain
    control of two border provinces, Schleswig and
    Holstein
  • Prussia gained control of Schleswig and Austria
    governed Holstein
  • This solidified Prussias role as the leader of
    the German unification movement

10
Bismarck Eliminates Austria
  • In order to disable Austria, Prussia instigated a
    border dispute with Austria
  • Austria declared war on Prussia in 1866
  • This became known as the Seven Weeks War
  • Prussia was victorious due to superior military
    training and equipment
  • A humiliated Austria gave up the region of
    Venetia (Italy gained the region)
  • Prussia gained control of northern Germany
  • The eastern and western parts of the Prussian
    kingdom were united
  • In 1867, the remaining states of the north joined
    the North German Confederation

11
The Franco-Prussian War
  • Northern Germany was predominately Protestant
  • Southern Germany was predominately Catholic
  • Bismarck believed a war with France would united
    the north and the south
  • Bismarck instigated a war with France by creating
    the illusion that French ambassador had insulted
    the Prussian king (Ems Dispatch)
  • The French reacted by declaring war
  • The Franco-Prussian War was the final step in the
    unification of Germany
  • On Jan. 18, 1871, King Wilhelm I of Prussia was
    crowned kaiser

12
The Balance of Power Shifts
  • 1815 The Congress of Vienna established a
    balance of power between the five Great Powers of
    Europe Britain, France, Austria, Prussia, and
    Russia
  • 1871 Britain and Prussia were clearly the
    strongest nations in Europe (militarily and
    economically)
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