What was Germany like before
World War I?
LO: To identify the key features of Germany
prior to WWI
How is this man…?
Linked to this man..?
Write down your
ideas?
Answer…
Both
descendants of
Queen Victoria!
(Not too distant
cousins…)
Keywords
Kaiser – Emperor of Germany
Reich – German for Empire
The Second Reich
• Before 1871 Germanic peoples lived in a number of independent
states.
Then in 1871
– Statesman
Otto Von
Bismark unified
• Germanic
peoples
lived in number
of independent
statesthe states
into •one
nation
- Germany War – birth of the German nation
1871
Franco-Prussian
• However,
peoplepeople
still desired
a “Greater
Germany”
– i.e.– i.e.
All German
• However,
still desired
a “Greater
Germany”
All
German
speaking
people toinbe
together
in one
speaking
people
to be together
one
German
landGerman land
Look at the source
1. What questions would
you need to ask about
this source for it to
make sense?
2. What do you think it
might be about?
A British postcard
before WWI.
Kaiser Wilhelm II: Ruler of Germany 1888 - 1918
• The new Germany was now 2nd largest
country in Europe & became a superpower
• Overseas trade increased by 400% & by 1914
was greater than England’s
• Germany expanded her empire – territories
in Africa
• Kaiser – immense power, loved military
displays & very nationalistic: determined to
make Germany as powerful & influential as
Britain
• Regarded as power-mad by some and a
strong symbolic figure by others
Answer:
Youawould
be living
feelingduring
proudthe
& patriotic.
If you were
German
Second
“German
Personality”
= Strong
unityyour
+ Respect
Reich
– how would
you bedesire
feelingfor
about
for authority + desire
for Germany to be GREAT!
country..?
Task
Complete the table by reading pages 8-10.
Some of the information is not in order.
EXT: What do you think is the biggest
problem faced by the Kaiser? Explain.
Task 2
• Read the sheet on Germany before WWI.
• Summarise each box into your own words.
• 1 page
In what ways in Germany change
under Kaiser Wilhelm II? (8)
One way in which Germany changed under Kaiser Wilhelm
was…
For example…
The consequences were…
One way in which Germany changed under Kaiser Wilhelm
was…
For example…
The consequences were…
For Level 9 you must ensure you consider different changes
for different groups, or different changes over time.
8 marks
Level 4
(7 - 8)
Level 3
(5 - 6)
Level 2
(3 – 4)
Level 1
(1 – 2)
In my answer…
Complex evaluation with sustained judgement based on knowledge or
understanding. In addition to Level 3, I…
 I make a strong judgement / conclusion on which interpretation is better using
contextual knowledge & understanding
 I explain any links or relationships between the interpretations based on
contextual knowledge and understanding
Developed evaluation of both interpretations based on contextual
knowledge/understanding
 I compare points & features of both interpretations explaining why one is more
convincing than the other
 I give more than one developed reason / point to support my answer
 I explicitly support points with historical context & facts
Simple evaluation based on contextual knowledge/understanding
 I write about at least one interpretation and might make comparative
comments on the second one
 I give some reasons why one interpretation is more convincing than the other,
using historical context & facts to support my answer
Basic analysis of interpretation(s) based on contextual knowledge/understanding
 I write about at least one interpretation and show that I understand reasons
why it may be better than the other.
Reason may be too short OR not supported with enough historical facts /
contextual knowledge
Quiz
1) Germany first became a country when lots of
states were unified by the statesman Otto
von Bismark in:
a)1800
b)1871
c)1914
Question 2
The Kaiser ruled the country:
a) By listening to parliament (the Reichstag) and the
Chancellor and doing what they asked
b) By advising the Reichstag and working with them
to make key decisions
c) By his will alone. He could dismiss the Chancellor
and the Reichstag at will
Question 3
Kaiser Willhelm’s main aim for Germany was:
a) To stabilise the country
b) To build up the economy to make the
German people wealthier and happier
c) To expand German’s colonies to compete
with Britain and other European powers
Colony
A country or area under the full or partial
Key Word:
political control of another country and
occupied by settlers from that country.
Question 4
Under the Kaiser, Germany became:
a) Wealthy and powerful, and it’s people were
very proud and content
b) Wealthy and powerful, but most of it’s people
did not benefit so they were very angry
c) Unstable because the Kaiser abused his power
Question 5
When the Kaiser agreed to go to war in 1914,
the German people were:
a) Mostly excited and supportive because they
wanted Germany’s power to keep growing
b) Mostly angry because they didn’t like fighting
and weren’t interested in Europe
c) Mostly scared because they thought they
would lose