Germany Under Kaiser Wilhelm
How was Germany ruled before the First World War? Meet Kaiser Wilhelm II, the Reichstag and the growth of industry and socialism, and see why the great power of the Kaiser left German democracy weak.
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Who ruled Germany? 👑
From 1890 Germany was ruled by Kaiser Wilhelm II. On paper it had a parliament, but real power sat with the Kaiser himself. This module looks at how Germany was governed before the First World War, the growth of industry and socialism, and why the power of the Kaiser left democracy weak.
Words to know 🔑
Four terms run through this topic. Learn them first.
Where did power lie? ⚖️
Germany was a monarchy with a parliament, but the two were far from equal.
Link it to what came next 💡
The Kaiser held real power while the Reichstag and the socialist movement kept growing. Germany had little tradition of true parliamentary rule. In the exam, do not just describe the system. LINK these weaknesses to why German democracy was later fragile when the Weimar Republic tried to govern.
Match the term 🔗
- Kaiser
- Reichstag
- Chancellor
- SPD
- The emperor who held great personal power
- The elected parliament of Germany
- The chief minister chosen by the Kaiser
- The party of the growing working class
Who held real power? 🎯
In Germany before the First World War, who held the most real power?
- The Kaiser
- The elected Reichstag
- A Chancellor chosen by parliament
- The SPD
Match the feature 🏭
- Industrialisation
- Prussian militarism
- Growth of socialism
- The Navy Laws
- Rapid growth of coal, steel and new industries
- The strong influence of the army and its values
- The rise of the SPD as the working class grew
- Laws to build a large and costly fleet
Germany under the Kaiser ✅
Which TWO of these were true of Germany under the Kaiser? Choose all that apply.
- It became a leading industrial power
- The SPD grew into a large party
- Parliament fully controlled the government
- The army had little influence in society
Put it in order 🪜
An interactive activity.
Complete the sentences 🧩
From 1890 Germany was ruled by the _____, who held great personal power. The elected parliament was the _____, but it could be ignored. As industry grew, the _____ party spoke for more workers. The government passed _____ Laws to build a large fleet. The chief minister, the _____, was chosen by the Kaiser, not by parliament.
Count the years 🔢
An interactive activity.
Spot the power of the Kaiser 🖍️
An interactive activity.
Strength or weakness? 🧭
An interactive activity.
Explain and judge ✍️
An interactive activity.