The Weimar constitution

• Who announced the elections for the new national assembly?

  Frederick Ebert
• What was the role of the council of people's representatives?

  To serve as a temporary government
• What percentage of eligible voters participated in the elections?

  83%
• Which party won the most votes in the election?

  Socialist Democratic Party
• Why did the first national assembly meet in Weimar?

  Due to protests and unrest in Berlin
• When was the Weimar Constitution agreed upon?

  31st of July 1919
• What did the Weimar Constitution establish?

  How the government should operate
• Who was the head of state in the Weimar Republic?

  The president
• How often was the president elected?

  Every seven years
• What was the chancellor responsible for?

  Leading the government and choosing ministers
• What were the two houses of the German parliament?

  Reichstag and Reichrat
• What was the role of the Reichstag?

  To make decisions about taxation and policy
• How were the seats in the Reichstag allocated?

  By proportional representation
• How did the Weimar Republic's voting rights compare to Britain's?

  Women in Britain voted later and had restrictions
• What were the strengths of the Weimar Constitution?

  • Completely democratic voting rights
  • Proportional representation for seats
  • Balance of power between president and chancellor
  • Local governments elected for local issues
• What were the weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution?

  • Difficulty in forming a single-party government
  • Frequent coalition breakdowns
  • Slow government response in crises
  • Reliance on Article 48 for emergency powers
  • Representation issues due to many parties
• What was Article 48 in the Weimar Constitution?

  Allowed president to control in emergencies
• How did the presence of extreme parties affect the Weimar Republic?

  They undermined the parliament and democracy
• What was the impact of the Weimar Republic's reliance on Article 48?

  People doubted the effectiveness of democracy