In the nineteenth century powerful forces were driving Germany towards unification.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2024). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] Queen Isabella was overthrown by a revolution.
2. [1] The issue was who should succeed her?
3. [1] Prince Leopold, related to the Prussian royal family, was offered the throne.
4. [1] France was suspicious of this.
5. [1] Bismarck persuaded William I to accept for Leopold.
6. [1] The French angrily protested.
7. [1] Leopold withdrew.
8. [1] France demanded that William officially announce the withdrawal.
9. [1] Bismarck altered a telegram from William to Napoleon so that it appeared insulting to the French.
10. [1] France declared war on Prussia.
11. [6] (Level 4) This meeting was important because it showed Austria was gaining strength in Germany at the expense of Prussia. Both countries wanted to lead Germany and they had their own plans. Prussia led the Erfurt Parliament and Austria led the Frankfurt Diet. In 1850 they clashed about which one should deal with a problem in Hesse-Cassel. The meeting in Olmütz was to sort this out. Prussia backed down and agreed to abandon its plan for a Prussian Union. This was important because it showed that Austria was gaining strength in Germany, not Prussia.
12. [5] (Level 3) This meeting was important because it showed Austria was gaining strength in Germany at the expense of Prussia. Prussia backed down and agreed to abandon its plan for a Prussian Union.
13. [1] (Level 2) Prussia agreed to abandon the plan for a Prussian Union.
14. [1] (Level 2) It avoided war between Prussia and Austria.
15. [1] (Level 2) Prussians were very annoyed at having to back down.
16. [1] (Level 2) It was agreed to hold a conference at Dresden in 1851.
17. [1] (Level 2) It led to the re-establishment of the German Confederation.
18. [1] (Level 2) It led to Austria and Prussia cooperating again.
19. [1] (Level 2) It showed Austria was becoming strong in Germany again.
20. [1] (Level 1) It was an important meeting between Austria and Prussia. They managed to sort out a lot of problems in Germany at that time.
21. [10] (Level 5) I think that the two complemented each other. Bismarck did not start out as a nationalist. His main aim was to make Prussia the strongest country in Germany, even in Europe. However, after the defeat of Austria and the formation of the North German Confederation, his aims and those of the nationalists began to overlap. Nationalists saw that Bismarck could unify Germany through brute strength and threw their support behind him. Hatred of France also united them. The nationalists feared France and thought that only a united Germany could stand up against it.
22. [6] (Level 3) German nationalism was very important. Even after the failure of 1840 the dream of a unified Germany remained strong, although it had changed in character. It was no longer a romantic idea but a realistic ambition based on the idea of Prussia providing the strength to lead it. The National Association was formed to promote this idea. In the north of Germany nationalism was strong among the educated middle class, a group that no one, not even Bismarck, could ignore.
23. [6] (Level 3) Unification was brought about by Bismarck. The rivalry to lead Germany was between Austria and Prussia. By engineering the war with Austria, Bismarck was able to get rid of Austria as a rival. He also set up the North German Confederation which united north Germany under Prussian leadership and was a big step towards unification. He then tricked France into declaring war. There was much anti-French feeling in Germany already and this led to all German states fighting under Prussian leadership. As soon as France was defeated, the German Empire was set up and Bismarck had brought it about.
24. [1] (Level 2) Nationalism was a powerful force amongst the German middle classes.
25. [1] (Level 2) Nationalists began to see that Bismarck could bring them unification.
26. [1] (Level 2) Economic and transport links were making nationalism stronger.
27. [1] (Level 2) Bismarck needed the support of Prussian Liberals.
28. [1] (Level 2) Bismarck brought about the defeat of Austria.
29. [1] (Level 2) Bismarck set up the North German Confederation.
30. [1] (Level 2) It was Bismarck's policies that led to the defeat of France and the southern states joining a unified Germany.
31. [1] (Level 1) I think they were both very important. They supported each other. I do not think unification could have been achieved if one of them was missing.