German revolution 1848-9
- Created by: Helena
- Created on: 04-05-13 14:53
View mindmap
- Revolutions 1848-49
- Frankfurt Parliament
- The Declaration of Heidelburg
- Changes to Germany's political institutions
- 51 representatives from 6 states
- 5th March 1848
- There would be an elected representation of all states
- This electorate would protect against internal and external dangers
- The Vorparlament
- 31st March 1848
- 574 representatives met in Frankfurt
- After 5 days of debate they agreed how to elect a national parliament
- They would meet in Frankfurt
- It should consist of 1 representative for every 50000 inhabitants
- Elected by citizens who were of age and 'economically independent'
- 31st March 1848
- Filled the power void
- Austria was busy dealing with their own revolutions
- Prussia was in disarray after their revolutions
- The Diet had collapsed and elected the Frankfurt Parliament as its successor
- Intentions of the Frankfurt Parliament
- Draw up a constitution
- Agree a series of 'Basic Rights and Demands'
- Freedom of the press
- Fair taxation
- Equality of political rights
- German citizenship for all
- What they achieved
- Provisional central power
- Under an elderly Austrian ARchduke, John
- Had no money and no power
- The Fifty Articles
- equality before the law
- Freedom of worship
- Freedom of the press
- freedom from arrest without warrant
- An end to discrimination because of class
- March 1849 constitution agreed.
- Lower house to be elected by men over 25 of 'good reputation'
- Upper house of reigning monarchs and princes
- Houses would control legislation and finance
- Emperor who would have power over all but would only be able to hold up legislation for a limited time
- New Germany would not include Austria
- Provisional central power
- Problems
- No agreement could be made on a constitution
- What was to be defined by 'Germany'
- Grossdeutschland
- kleindeutschland
- No financial power
- No army
- Didn't have public support
- Failure
- The Parliament voted half heartedly for Prussian King Frederick William to be Emperor
- He refused on the basis that it was not a title the Parliament had to offer
- Various states rejected the constitution
- The Parliament voted half heartedly for Prussian King Frederick William to be Emperor
- The Declaration of Heidelburg
- Prussian Revolution
- Frederick William IV
- Unpredictable and little insane
- Friend and ally of Metternich
- Flicked between liberal and reactionary
- Revolution in Berlin
- 13th March 1848
- Asked for political concessions
- Aims became confused over the next few days
- 16th March
- Frederick William agreed to a new constitution and to recall the united Diet and end censorship
- To end the fighting the king offered to remove his troops if the barricades were removed
- Misunderstood, the king was left in his palace guarded only by citizens
- 21st March
- Granted a series of reforms and agreed to set up a constitution
- Prussian constitution
- Independent judiciary
- Men voted in a representative assembly
- Voters divided into 3 classes so the rich had more electoral power
- In emergencies the king could suspend civil rights and collect taxes
- Ministers to be appointed and dismissed by the king and were responsible to him
- The king could alter the constitution whenever he wanted
- The king retained control of the army
- 13th March 1848
- Frederick William IV
- Failures
- Limited revolution
- Most revolts were peaceful
- Support for the revolutionaries quickly died down
- Revolutionary divisions
- Nationalists
- Unified state?
- Federation?
- Monarchy?
- Republic?
- Liberals
- Wanted united empire with national Parliament
- Radicals
- social and political change within republican framework
- Nationalists
- Rural apathy
- The harvests of 47 and 48 were better
- Vast majority of population
- weren't interested in urban revolutions
- Loss of support
- Conservative strength
- Had more military power
- Once Austria was secure in itself it would stick to it's policy to keep Germany divided
- Limited revolution
- Causes
- 1848 Cholera epidemic
- Social and Economic problems
- Increasing population
- More people moving to towns
- Life was hard in the country
- high rents
- difficult to make a living
- Life was hard in the towns
- Not enough jobs
- Not enough Houses
- Working conditions were atrocious
- Poor sanitation
- Economic crisis 1846-7
- Bad Harvests
- Potato blight
- Rise in food prices
- Less money spent on anything else
- Wages cut
- Increasing population
- Political problems
- Frankfurt Parliament
- German Revolts
- Peasants attacked landlords, stormed castles and destroyed feudal records
- Most German rulers gave in easily (if temporarily)
- The Declaration of Heidelburg
- Changes to Germany's political institutions
- 51 representatives from 6 states
- 5th March 1848
- There would be an elected representation of all states
- This electorate would protect against internal and external dangers
Comments
No comments have yet been made