Revolution in germany

• in 1848, there was no Germany. ever since the 30 years war and the peace of Westphalia in 1648 which broke Germany up, its inhabitants didn't think of themselves as Germans but as citizens of the place in which they lived.
• 1806- Prussia had suffered defeat by Napoleon Bonaparte. it lost land, and was forced to reduce its army. Since then, Prussia improved its education system and overhauled its army. This lead to a growing sense of German identity.
• at the end of the napoleonic war in 1815, prussia and Austrian profited from the Concert of Europe. Prussia gained land including szcony, doubling its population despite losing land to Russia. Austia gained land too.
• After prussia and Austria gaining land, a German confederation of 39 states was created from the 360 previous ones and were put idea the Austrian emperor with part of prussia included.
• German confederation was not concerned with uniting Germany, they simply wanted to join forces in time of conflict
• Klemens von metternich, chancellor of Austria did not want to see a united germans because he was worried there might be a revolution and the monarchy would be overthrown
• Klemens von matternich used the German confederation to promote his feelings against unification.
• Klemens von Metternich persuaded the others to introduce the Carlsbad decrees to ensure tighter censorship- liberal newspapers were banned, some university professors dismissed, and radical leaders were imprisioned
• Despite Klemens von Metternich trying so hard to stop revolutionary ideas, a revolution took place in Paris and sparked riots in several German states. In general, the uprisings resulted in nothing
• in 1832, metternich persuaded the confederation to pass the "six acts" which banned public meeting, tightened control of press and universities, and told German princes to resist any attempt to reduce their power
• After the formation of the Six Acts, a commission was set up to arrest anyone who was a part of the Young Germany movement and were campaigning for a united and liberal Germany.
• Despite Metternich's efforts, the German people continued to express their hopes for a united Germany through newspapers and books. some wanted Germany to be ruled by a monarch some wanted a republic. some wanted better living, others wanted nationalism