Name__________________________________ Period____ Date_____________________

Aim: What role did nationalism play in the unification of Germany?

Map Analysis:
1) Create a title for this map. Explain the
reasoning behind your title.

The Unification of Germany

Like Italy, Germany was not a unified nation in the mid-1800s. Both of these countries were very late to unify.
However, the patchwork of independent German states did have a common language and culture. In addition, the
Congress of __________________ helped increase nationalism by creating the German Confederation, a group of 39
German states with a common language and culture.
The path toward unification began in 1834, when the German Confederation signed the Zollverein, an economic
alliance that allowed for the removal of tariffs on products traded between the German States. These new economic
freedoms encouraged the building of railroads to foster trade and communication within the German Confederation.
Soon, German businessmen were calling for unification.

2) What was the Zollverein and how did it aid in the process of German unification?

Otto von Bismarck: The Chancellor (leader) of Prussia

Otto von Bismarck, a conservative and a politician, was the leading force behind German unification. He
became prominent in Prussian (a German state) politics in 1847 when he gave a conservative speech to the German
Parliament (government). The Prussian king, Wilhelm I sought to help the German territories catch up to other European
regions like Britain that had already started industrializing. He chose Bismarck as prime minister of Prussia. Bismarck
was not like the liberals of the time who wanted revolution and more freedoms. Instead, he supported the king and his
quest to unify Germany.

3) What did Otto von Bismarck want to achieve for the German territories?
The following is an excerpt from Otto von Bismarck’s speech to the Prussian Parliament (governing body)…
“Prussia’s boundaries according to the Vienna treaties are not favorable to a healthy state life. The great questions of
our time will not be resolved by speeches and majority decisions – that was the great mistake of 1848 and 1849 – but
by iron and blood.”
---Otto von Bismarck
4) What is the main idea of Otto von Bismarck’s speech? What was he trying to tell his listeners?

Germany unifies through “Blood and Iron”

Bismarck believed that he should do whatever was necessary to unify the German states. This political
philosophy became known as Realpolitik. Bismarck soon pushed for increased funds to expand the size of
Prussia’s army. This policy is known as militarism. After building the Prussian army, Bismarck went about
uniting the German states via military force. Bismarck would involve Prussia in three major wars in his quest for
German unification. Below are brief descriptions of these wars.
 Prussia vs. Denmark (1864) – Prussia aligned with Austria against Denmark in order to gain control of the
Danish territories of Schleswig and Holstein. Denmark quickly conceded (gave up) the territories. Prussia
gained control of Schleswig and Austria gained control of Holstein.
 Prussia vs. Austria (1866) – Bismarck knew that if he were to unite Germany, he would have to fight Austria.
After making an alliance with the newly unified Italy, Bismarck sent Prussian troops into Austrian territory.
This began the Austro-Prussian War.
Prussia defeated Austria quickly and
annexed much of Austrian territory.
 Prussia vs. France (1871) –Bismarck
next turned his attention to the
territories of Alsace and Lorraine on the
border with France. This led to the
Franco-Prussian War. With the support
of southern German states, Prussia was
able to secure a victory and Bismarck
annexed the last of the southern states
for Prussia. The treaty signed at the end
of the war established a unified German
Empire. In 1871, the new government
recognized Wilhelm I as Kaiser, or
emperor of Germany. Wilhelm then
named Bismarck as his first Chancellor. Over the several decades, Germany would go through a time of
economic prosperity and rise to become a world power.

5) Describe Bismarck’s policy of Realpolitik. Provide one example of how Bismarck used this policy.

6) Identify one enduring issue that is reflected in today’s lesson. Be sure to provide at least examples to support
your reasoning.
Bismarck’s policy of Realpolitik was that he would do whatever was necessary to unify the German states.

Bismarck militarized Prussia and provoked wars with Denmark, Austria and France in order to unite the German st
Both Giuseppe Garibaldi and Otto von Bismarck were nationalists who used war as a means of uniting their people.