Early unrest and the Treaty of Versailles
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain why there was opposition to the Treaty of Versailles in Germany.
Key learning points
- The Weimar Republic faced early opposition for a variety of reasons.
- The government was blamed for signing the Armistice, accused of 'stabbing the army in the back'.
- Many Germans felt the Treaty of Versailles was harsh and hated the government for agreeing to it.
- The treaty forced Germany to pay hefty reparations and give up territory.
- Germany's armed forces were significantly reduced and the Rhineland was demilitarised.
Keywords
Dolchstoss - the theory that the German army had been ‘stabbed in the back’ and betrayed by Weimar politicians
Treaty - a written agreement between two or more countries, formally approved and signed by their leaders
Diktat - an order that must be obeyed, or the act of giving such an order
Reparations - payments made by a defeated nation after a war to pay for damages or expenses it caused to another nation
Common misconception
The belief that the 'stab-in-the-back' theory was based on factual evidence.
The theory was a narrative promoted by the military elite to distance themselves from the Armistice surrender. Germany's defeat was primarily due to military exhaustion and economic collapse, not treachery by Weimar politicians.
Teacher tip
Use a map to show pre- and post-Treaty of Versailles Germany. Have pupils mark territorial losses, military reductions, etc. Lead a discussion on how the material losses and public acceptance of guilt may have had an impact on public morale.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why was the inclusion of proportional representation significant in the new Weimar constitution?
Q2.What was one major challenge of the proportional representation system?
Q3.Match the terms to their correct definitions.
a partnership of different parties to form a government
a set of fundamental principles or laws that govern a nation
someone who avoids extremes and seeks compromise
Q4.The Weimar constitution ensured there was a division of power between the president, chancellor, and the __________.
Q5.What was a potential risk of Article 48 in the Weimar Constitution?
Q6.Why did Ebert retain many old establishment figures in their positions?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The signing of the __________ on November 1918, was met with resentment by many Germans, as it shattered the illusion of victory and was seen as a betrayal by the Weimar politicians.
Q2.What was one reason many Germans believed the Treaty of Versailles was harsh?
Q3.What does the term 'Dolchstoss' mean in the context of post-war Germany?
Q4.The Treaty of Versailles declared the Rhineland a zone.
Q5.Which statement best describes Germany's role in the Treaty of Versailles?
Q6.The Treaty of Versailles required Germany to reduce its army to troops.
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: Early unrest and the Treaty of Versailles, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: Early unrest and the Treaty of Versailles, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39 unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.