overseas territories controlled by a more powerful country

meaning 'world policy'; Germany’s plan to expand overseas and achieve global power status

a country’s military force at sea, including warships and related personnel

the belief that people who share the same language, culture, history or ethnicity should unite in one country; many believe this would create greater unity, strength and harmony within the nation

the belief that a strong military and military values should dominate society and government

Germany’s naval ambitions before the First World War

History

Germany before the First World War

Industrialisation, social reform and the growth of socialism

The First World War and the German Revolution

The Weimar Republic

Early unrest and the Treaty of Versailles

The putsches of 1919-23

1923, the Ruhr and hyperinflation

Economic recovery under Stresemann

Stresemann's international achievements

Weimar culture 1924-29

The growth of unemployment and rise in support for the Communist Party

The growth in support for the Nazi Party

How Hitler became Chancellor of Germany

The Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act

Hitler's creation of a dictatorship

The Nazi police state

The Nazi Party and religion

Goebbels and propaganda in Nazi Germany

Opposition and resistance to Hitler and the Nazi Party

Women in Nazi Germany

Young people in Nazi Germany

Employment in Nazi Germany

Work and life in Nazi Germany

The Nazi economy and WW2

Nazi racial ideology and the treatment of minorities

The persecution of Jews

The Final Solution

In this unit pupils undergo a period study that provides an unfolding narrative which tells a story about a period that shaped the world we live in today. They look at the key events, developments, people and stories that defined the chosen period.

Period Studies

Weltpolitik was imperial Germany’s {{}} policy aimed at overseas expansion and achieving great-power status.

naval chief who helped found the Navy League

German ruler who championed Weltpolitik and naval growth

mass organisation promoting the navy through rallies and propaganda

Match each key figure or organisation with its description.

It forced the Social Democrats to leave parliament.

It pressured politicians to approve navy funding,

What was one major political result of Tirpitz’s public campaign for the navy?

Which of the following were direct consequences of Germany’s naval expansion?

What happened to Germany’s warships at the outbreak of World War I?

an alliance with France to share shipbuilding costs

a vote in the Reichstag to fund the expansion

the personal approval of the British Royal Navy

What did the Kaiser need before he could expand the navy?

Kaiser Wilhelm II became ruler of the German Empire in ...

powered factories and provided energy for industry

connected towns and cities, helping goods and people move quickly

used to build ships, weapons and machinery

Match each product or development with its role in Germany’s industrial growth by 1914.

By 1912, the {{}} was the largest party in the Reichstag.

What was one of the Kaiser’s main methods for strengthening Germany’s position in the world?

divide between traditional authority and socialist demands

religious differences between Catholics and Protestants

By 1914, what was the main source of political tension in Germany?

It could choose the chancellor but not control foreign policy.

It could command the army and navy directly.

It could debate laws and budgets but had no control over major decisions.

It could pass any law without the Kaiser’s approval.

Which of the following best describes the limits of the Reichstag’s power under Kaiser Wilhelm II?

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Germany’s naval ambitions before the First World War

Lesson outcome

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.