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GCSE History · key term
The German emperor; Wilhelm II became Kaiser in 1888.
Used by AQA and Edexcel
Paper 1
Revise: Kaiser Wilhelm and GovernanceWilhelm II became Kaiser, or German emperor, in 1888. Germany was a united empire made up of different states, of which Prussia was the largest and most powerful. Between 1890 and 1914, rapid industrial change created new demands for political representation, while the Kaiser and traditional elites tried to preserve their authority.
The ruler of the German Empire; Wilhelm II became Kaiser in 1888.
Paper 3
The German title for emperor; Wilhelm II was Kaiser when Germany’s monarchy collapsed in November 1918.
Revise: Origins of the RepublicKaiser Wilhelm II was Germany’s emperor, but by autumn 1918 his government could no longer maintain public confidence or control.
Distinguish the Reichstag’s power to approve laws and funding from control over the government: the chancellor answered to the Kaiser, not parliament.
Keep the chronology clear: social insurance began under Bismarck and was extended under Wilhelm II; the Kaiser did not create the entire welfare system.
For an explanation of the Republic’s origins, connect wartime hardship to unrest and then to the collapse of the Kaiser’s authority.
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