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Beginning of the German Empire under the Prussian Crown
The German Empire was founded on January 18, 1871, in the aftermath of three successful wars by the North German state of Prussia. -
Anti - Papal campaign, Kulturkampf (struggle for civilization)
The biggest political change in the 1870s was a struggle between the Prussian state and the Catholic Church. It was called the Kulturkampf (struggle of cultures). The focus of this was the Catholic tradition versus the liberal modernisation. -
German Unification
In January 1871 Bismarck declared the German nation united -
May Laws
In 1873 the May Laws, created by the Prussian minister of culture, Adalbert Falk, placed strict state controls over religious training. The climax of the struggle came in 1875, when civil marriage was made obligatory throughout Germany -
End of Kulturkampf
Catholics won many seats in the Reichstag and Kulturkampf ended -
Anti - Socialist Laws
The laws were designed by Bismarck with the goal of reversing the growing strength of the Social Democratic Party which was blamed for inspiring the assassins. However, the laws caused the strengthening of socialist movement, which resulted in Bismarck dropping the law -
Tariff Law
The German tariff of 1879 was a protectionist law passed by the Reichstag, under the guidance of Bismarck, which imposed tariffs on industrial and agricultural imports into Germany -
Triple Alliance
A secret agreement between the 3 countries; Germany, Italy and Austria - Hungary which was renewed until WWI. It gave the chance to Germany and Austria - Hungary to assist Italy when it was being attacked by France -
Anti - Socialist Law
Bismarck passed the Anti - Socialist Law, expanding police powers and forbidding socialist meetings, fundraising and the distribution of printed materials. -
Expulsion of Poles and Jews from eastern Prussia
On 26 March 1885, the ministry of internal affairs of Prussia ordered its provincial authorities to expel all ethnic Poles and Jews holding Russian citizenship. In the next months nearly 26,000 people were expelled from eastern provinces of Prussia, who were mainly workers -
Social Democratic Party as Bismarck’s key enemy
Many Social Democrats were Marxists who wanted a gradual development of the capitalist system into a state socialist system and wanted to promote the needs of the workers through welfare legislation, trade union power, economic regulation, and nationalization or regulation of industry -
Resignation of Bismarck
By the demand of the Emperor Wilhelm II, Bismarck resigns -
Franco - Russian Alliance
Fear of Germany encouraged an alliance between France and Russia, which was a political and military pac -
Weltpolitik
Foreign policy adopted by Germany at the end of the 19th century by which Germany attempted to seek influence around the world. In 1905, it became evident that this policy was dangerous. -
German Naval Laws
Declared that 7 battleships would be built bringing the total naval size to 19 -
Entente Cordiale
A series of agreements signed between Great Britain and France. The motive of it was that France wanted to protect itself from Germany -
The First Moroccan Crisis
Germany was worried about the relationship between France and Britain. Therefore, he wanted to break out the entente and attacked France and Morocco. However, Britain supported France and in return France recognised Britain’s position in Egypt. -
The British Dreadnought is launched
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The Triple Entente
An agreement signed between the United Kingdom, France and Russia. It was a defensive alliance. It encouraged a co-operation against Germany -
The Bosnian Crisis
Germany was afraid of the encirclement by the Triple Entente and therefore strengthened the relationship with Austria - Hungary. In 1908, there was an internal crisis in the Ottoman Empire. As a result Austria - Hungary decided to act by annexing the 2 provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina which they occupied since 1878, but were still formally Turkish. -
The Second Moroccan Crisis
In May 1911, France sent troops to Fez, Morocco. The Germans saw this as the beginning of a French takeover of Morocco and sent a German gunboat to Agadir, a small port on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. -
The First Balkan War
In 1912 encouraged by Russia the Balkan States; Serbi, Greece, Montenegro formed a Balkan Alliance. Their aim was to force Turkey from the Blakans, taking Macedonia and dividing it up between themselves. Since Turkey was already weakened , the goal was achieved in 7 weeks. -
The Second Balkan War
Due to the disagreements another war broke out in the Balkans in July 1913. Now, Bulgaria went to war over the territory Serbia had occupied. Bulgarians believed that there were too many Bulgarians living in the areas given to Serbia and Greece, namely Macedonia and Salonika