Anna James

Senior Individual Website

458 Words
Process Paper
Otto von Bismarck played a key role in the Unification of the German Empire, and the
advances he made were vital to the development of modern day Germany. Through his actions,
Bismarck was able to successfully unite several small states under one government, and unify a
nation. I have chosen to study Bismarck and the Unification of Germany because it was such an
important step for the German Empire, and the creation of the empire changed the history of
Germany and the German people. Also, because we studied a little bit about Bismarck in class, I
became intrigued by the process of unification, and wanted to learn more about the details behind
such a process. The effects Bismarck had on German society were phenomenal, and I found it
interesting how one man could make such a difference in Europe.
I began my research by looking at the primary sources I found, and looking at the general
trend each of the sources had. Then, I moved onto finding books, both in textbook and criticism
form, in order to enhance my knowledge of the subject. Within doing so, I was able to observe
various views on Bismarcks actions, possibly what they mean, and also how history can
sometimes be interpreted differently. As I read each source, certain aspects of both the
unification process and the aftermath of Bismarcks changes stood out to me. Because there is so
much information on Bismarck and his actions toward unification of Germany, I had to narrow
down my research into a few categories I could focus on. I then decided to focus on two aspects
of Bismarck and his legacy: the Unification Process, and Bismarcks Domestic Policy. These two
categories highlighted what happened during the unification period, the immediate changes made

after unification, and also included social and cultural aspects of the new Germany. I knew these
areas would work for me to focus on because they supported my general thesis of Bismarcks
legacy, its successes and its potential downfalls. I proceeded to continue my research, and then
condensed all the information I had found. After that, I was able to use my primary sources to
support the claims I had made, which also enhanced my overall project.
I have chosen to do a website for my project because I feel that it is the best way to
convey all the information about Bismarck in a more condensed matter. I was able to divide the
website into the various sections of both unification and domestic policy, therefore allowing me
to have a good layout for the information. With a website, I believe I can easily summarize the
events of this period of German history, while also showing key primary sources related to the
topic.