Germany Before the First World War (AQA GCSE History: The Period Study (Paper 1: Section A)): Flashcards

France was very angry and wanted revenge and to regain Alsace-Lorraine from Germany.

True.

Prussia's strong military contributed to Germany's power after unification.

After unification, Germany had one strong leader in the Kaiser.

A federal government is a system in which individual states retain certain powers to govern themselves, while a central government handles national issues.

The new German government in 1871 had to decide what type of government Germany should have and how much independence each German state should have.

The government of Germany in 1871 could have been a democracy or a dictatorship.

The Reichstag was the elected parliament in Imperial Germany, but it had very limited power as the Kaiser could dissolve it at any time.

The Kaiser could appoint and sack ministers, including the chancellor, as he wished.

The Bundesrat had more power than the Reichstag but was still under the control of the Kaiser.

False.

The Kaiser did not have to listen to the chancellor and could make decisions independently.

Kaiser Wilhelm II was the Emperor of Germany from 1888 to 1918, known for his military ambitions and strong-willed personality.

Kaiser Wilhelm II was charming but also impatient, and he had a strong desire for Germany to be a world power.

Kaiser Wilhelm II became Emperor of Germany in 1888.

Weltpolitik was the German policy aiming for a 'world policy' to expand Germany's influence and empire, particularly by gaining colonies and building military power.

Weltpolitik aimed to expand Germany's colonies (especially in Africa) and to build up Germany's armed forces.

The aim of Weltpolitik was for Germany to achieve its 'place in the sun'.

Militarism is the belief that a country must have strong armed forces.

Patriotism is the increased pride in one's country that often results from militarism.

Militarism often leads to more people being employed in the armed forces and the production of armaments.

Militarism increases the feeling of safety because citizens believe strong armed forces can protect them from threats.

False.

More countries pursue militarism in times of high world tensions.

By the 1900s, many countries built up their armed forces in preparation for war.

Kaiser Wilhelm II pursued Weltpolitik to make Germany a world power, which required strong armed forces.

The Junkers were wealthy landowners who had controlled the Prussian Army and later influenced German politics through the Bundesrat.

Prussian militarism influenced the new German Army by making the Kaiser its Commander-in-chief, using Prussian generals and officers, and adopting Prussian military tactics.

After unification, the Junkers represented Prussia in the Bundesrat, giving them enormous influence on German politics.

False.

While the Junkers had 17 seats in the Bundesrat, 14 votes were needed to block laws, so they needed support from other states as well.

Industrialisation is the process of changing an economy from being based on agriculture to being based on manufacturing goods.

An agricultural economy is one where the country makes money primarily through farming and growing crops.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, many countries transitioned from an agricultural economy to an industrial economy.

True.

Industrial economies were considered more reliable and less dependent on external factors like weather, compared to agricultural economies.

The acronym HEC stands for Heavy, Electrical, and Chemical industries, which Germany dominated before the First World War.

By 1914, Germany had one of the most industrialised economies in Europe.

European powers obtained raw materials such as rubber from their overseas colonies during industrialisation.

True.

Before World War I, Germany dominated in heavy, electrical, and chemical industries, including steel production.

The working classes were the largest social group in industrialised Germany, consisting mainly of factory workers who lived in towns and cities and often experienced poor living and working conditions.

By 1910, 60% of Germans lived in towns and cities.

Industrialisation led to poor conditions for many working-class people in German towns and cities.

Factory owners and businessmen, especially those in the middle and upper classes, became very rich and influential as a result of industrialisation in Germany.

Industrialisation made the working class the largest group, led to overcrowded towns and cities with poor living conditions, and made some business owners very rich and influential.

Socialism is a theory that argues the government should control important industries and promote equality among the people.

Socialism aimed to address who should control the country and how businesses and people should be treated.

A trade union is an organisation representing workers in a particular industry to protect their rights and improve conditions.

Industrialisation resulted in overcrowded cities, poor housing, and low wages, which made socialism appealing to the working classes.

False.

Trade unions organised strikes and pressured the government to improve workers' pay and conditions.

By 1914, around three million workers in Germany were members of trade unions.

A social reform is a government policy aimed at improving people's living or working conditions, such as pensions or minimum wage.

Two examples are the introduction of old-age pensions (1889) and minimum wage (1891).

Despite social reforms, the poor and unemployed still faced extreme poverty and received no government help.

The government was alarmed because the SPD became the largest party and some socialists wanted a revolution to overthrow the Kaiser.

True.

By 1912, the SPD had become the largest political party in the Reichstag.

Extreme socialists in Germany wanted a revolution to overthrow the Kaiser.

SPD stands for Social Democratic Party, a socialist political party formed in the late 1880s in Germany.

The SPD aimed to gain seats in the Reichstag, pressure the Kaiser for social reforms, and reduce the power of landowners.

The Navy Laws were a series of German government policies passed between 1898 and 1912 to expand the size of the German navy.

The main aim of the Navy Laws was to expand the size of the German navy and make Germany a respected naval power.

The Navy Laws were passed between 1898 and 1912 to expand the German navy.

Admiral von Tirpitz was tasked to build up Germany's navy and created the Navy League in 1898 to increase public support and pressure the Reichstag to pass the Navy Laws.

A large navy was a key part of Weltpolitik, the German policy to become a world power and gain more colonies.

The three key reasons were the Kaiser's personal aims, Admiral von Tirpitz and the Navy League, and the policy of Weltpolitik.

The Navy League was created to increase support for building up the German navy.

False.

By 1914, the German navy was the second-largest in the world, not the largest.

One positive impact was that the Kaiser achieved his aim for a large navy, which increased patriotism in Germany.

The Navy Laws led to increased tensions with Britain and a naval arms race.

The German government had to borrow money to expand the navy, which led to Germany going into debt.