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Bismarck's Rise To Power
When William I became the King he appointed Bismarck to be in charge of the Prussian Cabinet and as a result Bismarck built the Prussian army into a good war machine. Bismarck didn't agree with democracy and believed the state should have all the power or authority. -
The Danish War
The Danish king ruled the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein but their constitutions separated them from Denmark. In 1863 King Christian ix became the Danish king and as he took over the throne he proclaimed a new constitution. Austria and Prussia didn't like the new constituion and since Denmark wouldn't change it Prussia and Austria decided to declare war on Denmark.After 3 months of war Denmark surrendered. Prussians ended up controling Schleswig and Austrian controling Holstein. -
The Seven Week's War
Bismark prepared for conflict against Austria and formed an alliance with the new nation of Italy and as a result Bismarck made Austria and Prussia declare war against each other over the ongoing of the Schleswig and Holstein dispute. Prussia took advantage of technology and defeated the powerful Austrians in only seven weeks. The Treat of Prague made Austria surrender Holsteinto Prussia and Italy gained Venetia. -
The Franco-Prussian War
Bismarck received a telegram from King William in 1870 and edited the telegram so that it sounded that the king insulted the French ambassador and as a result the French declared war on Prussia. The Prussians defeated the Franch army in a few months as Napoleon III surrendered. As a result France lost Alsace and part of Lorraine, and had to pay. -
The Formation of the German Empire
Representatives of the allied German states met in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles. King William I of Prussia was proclaimed German emperor and Bismarck "Iron Chancellor" became chief minister of the German Empire and became prime minister of Prussia.The kaiser held all the power and appointed the chancellor, he could also declare a defensive war on his own. The Bundesrat and the Reichstag was the legislative branch. The king of Prussia became the kaiser of Germany.
