Why was German Unification so unlikely in 1815?

highlight why unification in Germany was so unlikely in the year 1815

?

Independence of the states

  • 39 different states
  • ruled by individual princes
  • all wanted different things
  • no unity 
1 of 8

DIET and Confederation

  • Attended by representatives chosen by individual Princes
  • Representatives concerned with safe guarding own state than working for confederation as a whole
  • lacked army/civil service
  • regularly subject to influence of Metternich - limited freedom of press, association and protest
2 of 8

Lack of industrialisation

  • 10% of pop lived in towns, the rest in rural countryside
3 of 8

Dominance of Austria

  • population of 2.5 million
  • very powerful
  • acted as a deterrent to Prussia uniting smaller states 
  • wanted a loose confederation

4 of 8

Dominance of Prussia

  • Population of 5-10 million
  • possessed land west of Rhineland - great industrial potential
  • huge divide between the traditional junker - dominated east, with liberal, modern industrialised west
5 of 8

Catholic and Protestant divide

  • Protestants in North looked to Prussia
  • Catholics in the South looked to Austria
6 of 8

Cultural disunity

  • Many non - Germans lived in confederation
  • some states ruled by non - German governments
7 of 8

Conservative army and civil service

  • Loyal to Monarchy
  • aristocrat
8 of 8

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all The rise of Germany from 1871 resources »