How many German states were there in 1870?
The solution was to consolidate the German states and to create the German Confederation, a conglomeration of 39 states, including Austria and Prussia.
What was Germany called in 1870?
German Empire, also called Second Reich, historical empire founded on January 18, 1871, in the wake of three short, successful wars by the North German state of Prussia.
What was Germany like 1870?
In adjusting to the depression of the 1870s, Germany’s leaders chose to return to a regulated economy after a generation of increasingly free trade. The hallmark of the new age was concentration; Germany became the land of big industry, big agriculture, big banks, and big government.
What was Germany before 1870?
Germany is traditionally a country organized as a federal state. The Southern states joined the federal state in 1870/71, which was consequently renamed German Empire (1871–1918). The state continued as the Weimar Republic of 1919–1933.
Which was the last German dynasty?
Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941), anglicised as William II, was the last German Emperor (German: Kaiser) and King of Prussia, reigning from 15 June 1888 until his abdication on 9 November 1918.
Who was Wilhelm I who were the Junkers?
The Junkers were members of the landed nobility in Prussia. They owned great estates that were maintained and worked by peasants with few rights. These estates often lay in the countryside outside of major cities or towns.
What was happening in Germany in 1870s?
The German empire: 1871 When France declares war in 1870, the three independent south German states (Baden, Württemberg and Bavaria) place their armies under the command of the Prussian king, William I, in what is seen as an essentially German cause.
What was Germany like from 1871 to 1918?
Germany from 1871 to 1918. The German Empire, 1871–1914. The German Empire was founded on January 18, 1871, in the aftermath of three successful wars by the North German state of Prussia. Within a seven-year period Denmark, the Habsburg monarchy, and France were vanquished in short, decisive conflicts.
What was the population of the German Empire in 1914?
The German Empire, 1871–1918.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. At its birth Germany occupied an area of 208,825 square miles (540,854 square km) and had a population of more than 41 million, which was to grow to 67 million by 1914.
When did Prussia become part of the German Empire?
Prussia, occupying more than three-fifths of the area of Germany and having approximately three-fifths of the population, remained the dominant force in the nation until the empire’s demise at the end of another war in 1918. The German Empire, 1871–1918.
Why did France declare war on Prussia in 1870?
On 16 July 1870, the French parliament voted to declare war on Prussia and hostilities began three days later when French forces invaded German territory. The German coalition mobilised its troops much more quickly than the French and rapidly invaded northeastern France.