1 / 10

A Case Study in Nationalism: German Unification, 1815-1871

A Case Study in Nationalism: German Unification, 1815-1871. Meeting of all the German Confederation monarchs, 1863. Setting the Scene: The Congress of Vienna. Blue = Prussia Yellow = Austria Gray = other German states. Creation of the German Confederation (GC) 39 states, led by Austria

faolan
Download Presentation

A Case Study in Nationalism: German Unification, 1815-1871

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. A Case Study in Nationalism: German Unification, 1815-1871 Meeting of all the German Confederation monarchs, 1863

  2. Setting the Scene: The Congress of Vienna Blue = Prussia Yellow = Austria Gray = other German states • Creation of the German Confederation (GC) • 39 states, led by Austria • Prussia allowed to be independent AND part of GC • Major powers of GC were rivals • Austria: Hapsburg dynasty to South of GC • Prussia • Military power in North

  3. Austria and Prussia, mid 19th Century • Austria weak • Nature of Empire (11 nationalities, 15 languages spoken) • Struggle with nationalist movements • Lost Russia as ally in 1850s (Crimean War, Slavic nationalism Austrian Empire Coat of Arms

  4. Austria and Prussia, Mid 19th Century • Prussia strong • Most industrialized state in Germany • More coal, iron than Austria • Better and longer road, rail network • Favorable trade alliances with GC states & standardized currency • Superior leaders Prussian coat of arms

  5. Prussian Leaders • Kaiser Wilhelm I (1799-1888) • Soldier, diplomat: not well educated (3rd son of dad) • “Prince of Grapeshot”: turned cannon on own people during Const. crisis in 1848 • Became king in 1861 • Appointed good people to run State

  6. Prussian Leaders • Otto Von Bismarck (“The Iron Chancellor”) • Appointed Minister-President by Wilhelm I in 1862 • Conservative who supported Monarchy • Incredibly loyal to Kaiser • Goals • Unify North German States • Weaken Austria • Make Berlin center of Germany • Strengthen King of Prussia against Parliament, called the Reichstag Bismarck as Chancellor, 1871

  7. Prussia went to war against Denmark, took land (circled) Then fought Austrians in 1867 (7 week war) North German Confederation created, under Prussian control Austria promised to stay out of NGC affairs, pay reparations ($ for war) Plan for German Unification: Phase One Red = Prussia Salmon =Other N German States Gray = South German States Hot pink line is Boundary of NGC

  8. Franco-Prussian War, 1870-71 • France was afraid of Prussia getting stronger • Bismarck used diplomacy to isolate France from allies • Russia, Italy promised to stay neutral in war • Provoked war with France: “The Ems Telegram” • Ems a resort • French demanded public withdrawal • Bismarck sent along two copies…… Germany threatening France (French newspaper cartoon, 1870)

  9. Franco Prussian War, 1870-71 • French mobilize 100k reg. troops, declared war against ALL of Germany • Result: Southern German states join NGC • Fr. figured their army would grow as mobilization continued • Germans reacted with swift attack • Mobilized 1 million troops in 10 days • Transported to Fr border • Paris captured in Jan 1871

  10. Franco-Prussian War, 1870-71 • Treaty of Frankfurt • France lost Alsace-Lorraine • Paid indemnity of $500 million to Prussia • Southern German States unified with NGC when France declared war = Germany was complete!! • Was German unification inevitable? • Yes; economic coop. = unification eventual, but Bismarck sped it up Results of Franco-Prussian War

More Related