Unifying Germany

  • Formation of the Rhine Confederation

    Formation of the Rhine Confederation
    Napoleon annexes lands along the Rhine River.
  • Holy Roman Empire Dissolved

    Holy Roman Empire Dissolved
  • Collapse of Rhine Confederation

    Collapse of Rhine Confederation
  • Period: to

    German Confederation

    Weak alliance formed by the Congress of Vienna, headed by Austria.
  • Period: to

    Prussian Zollverein

    Zollverein dismantled tariff barriers between the German states.
  • Frankfurt Assembly

    Frankfurt Assembly
    Liberals met to discuss German political unity, offered throne to Frederick William IV.
  • Bismarck made Chancellor

    Bismarck made Chancellor
    King William I makes Otto von Bismarck chancellor of Germany.
  • Blood and Iron Speech

    Blood and Iron Speech
    Bismarck tries to build up and strengthen the Prussian army. Ideas rejected by government.
  • Second Schleswig War

    Second Schleswig War
    Bismark initiates war with Dutch to gain power
  • End of Second Schleswig War

  • Austro-Prussian War begins

    Austro-Prussian War begins
    Lasted seven weeks. Ends in Prussian victory and annexation of several other northern German states.
  • Battle of Lamac near the Bratislava

    Battle of Lamac near the Bratislava
    The final battle of the Austro-Prussian War.
  • Austro-Prussian War ends

    Austro-Prussian War ends
  • Franco-Prussian War begins

    Franco-Prussian War begins
    France is defeated by Prussia.
  • Period: to

    Prussian Prosperity

    Population grows from 14 million to 67 million. August Thyssen built a small factory of 70 workers into a giant empire with 50,000 employees.
  • Formation of 2nd Reich

    Formation of 2nd Reich
  • Franco-Prussian War ends

    Franco-Prussian War ends
  • Social Democratic Party Forms

    Social Democratic Party Forms
  • Period: to

    Otto Von Bismarck's Healthcare Reform

    Health Insurance Bill of 1883, Accident Insurance Bill of 1884, and Old Age and Disability Insurance Bill of 1889.
  • Wilhelm II becomes Kaiser

    Wilhelm II becomes Kaiser