the large-scale growth of manufacturing factories, technology and infrastructure

an organisation that represents workers, protects their rights and discusses their pay and working conditions with employers

political beliefs that state that all people are equal and should share equally in a country's money

the national parliament of Germany where elected politicians debated laws, but had limited power to control government decisions

Industrialisation, social reform and the growth of socialism

History

Germany before the First World War

Germany’s naval ambitions before the First World War

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

Kaiser Wilhelm II saw the {{}} Empire as a rival and model for Germany’s global power.

the growth of manufacturing factories, technology and infrastructure

a theory that all people should share equally in a country's wealth

an organisation of workers formed to protect rights

Match each term to its correct definition.

Which group’s growing influence most alarmed Kaiser Wilhelm II and Germany’s ruling elite?

Which of the following were demands commonly made by trade unions in Germany during this period?

introduced health, accident and pension schemes

What did the Kaiser’s government do in the 1880s to try to improve workers’ lives and limit support for socialism?

They controlled the government and military.

They could choose the chancellor and decide foreign policy.

They could debate and vote on budgets, but had no control over key decisions.

After becoming the largest party in the Reichstag, what was the SPD’s actual level of political power?

{{}} was the most powerful German state and played a leading role in unifying the country.

Starting with the earliest, sort these events into the correct chronological order.

What name was given to the German Empire after unification?

He avoided foreign affairs and focused only on domestic policies.

He encouraged democratic reforms and shared power with parliament.

He rejected military traditions and wore traditional royal robes.

He was a military-obsessed ruler who ruled with little input from the Reichstag.

Which of the following best describes Kaiser Wilhelm II’s character and leadership style?

Bismarck was too supportive of socialism.

Wilhelm wanted complete control and no challenges to his rule.

Wilhelm wanted to promote parliamentary democracy.

Why did Wilhelm II dismiss Bismarck in 1890?

Army officers were respected, and military values shaped daily life.

Germany had no police force, so the army replaced it.

The Kaiser was a general before becoming emperor.

What was the main reason militarism was so important in German society before 1914?

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

Industrialisation, social reform and the growth of socialism

Lesson outcome

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