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King William I appionted Otto von Bismark prime minister and secretary of forieign affairs for Prussia. Bismark was a Junker politician who built up a powerful Prussian army. Bismark strongly beleived that the German states could only be united through the use of military force.
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Prussia an Austria, who were both members of the German Confederation, declared war on Denmark. This war took place over the argument of who should rule the heavily german populated cities of Schleswig and Holstien. Prussia and Austria won this war.
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War between Ausrtria and Prussia over what was to be done with Schleswig and Holstien. Austria was surprisingly defeated by Prussia. The Treaty of Prague ended the war in 1866.
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Short war between Prussia and France. France was defeated by the prussians. King William I of Prussia helped Bismarck create a form of nationalism that supressed democratic and liberal activities.
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On January 18, 1871, representitves of the allied German states met in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles. it was here they declared the formation of the German empire, including all German states except Austria. King William I of Prussia was declared the German emperor.
