Paper 2 – Topic 2:
Failure of Revolution 1848-51
, Intro/background
• 1848 Revolutions: Abolished press censorship and brought reforms, especially in
Baden.
• Frankfurt Parliament: Drafted The Fifty Articles on citizens' rights.
• Hungarian Revolt: Weakened the Habsburg Empire, worsening Austria's situation.
• Push for Unification: German liberals pushed for unification amid instability.
• Counter-Revolutions (Late 1848): Restored Austrian dominance and sidelined
Prussia.
Key Bodies:
1. Federal Diet (Bundestag): Pre-existing assembly, declined after revolutions,
replaced by the Frankfurt Parliament.
2. Vorparlament: Organized and prepared for the Frankfurt Parliament.
3. Frankfurt Parliament: Revolutionary assembly of 1848 aimed at drafting a
constitution and unifying Germany.
Federal Diet → Vorparlament → Frankfurt Parliament.
1. To what extent did the Frankfurt Parliament attain its objectives by 1849?
The Vorparlament (pre – parliament)
• What it was – 7 people (there were 7 members) deciding what a new parliament
should be
• Aims/tasks - Made decisions upon setting up a new parliament so deciding
structure, how it would be elected etc. Key issue – how to unify Germany
• Issues – previously political unrest in S&W of Germany but revolutions began
spreading across Germany
• Impact – some elections were run differently according to state it was held in
• Frankfurt parliament first met in May 1848 and was composed of; mainly lawyers,
civil servants & teachers but there were 4 artisans and 1 peasant
Nature & work of the Frankfurt Parliament
• What it was – a revolutionary assembly formed in 1848 to draft a constitution & unify
Germany.
Failure of Revolution 1848-51
, Intro/background
• 1848 Revolutions: Abolished press censorship and brought reforms, especially in
Baden.
• Frankfurt Parliament: Drafted The Fifty Articles on citizens' rights.
• Hungarian Revolt: Weakened the Habsburg Empire, worsening Austria's situation.
• Push for Unification: German liberals pushed for unification amid instability.
• Counter-Revolutions (Late 1848): Restored Austrian dominance and sidelined
Prussia.
Key Bodies:
1. Federal Diet (Bundestag): Pre-existing assembly, declined after revolutions,
replaced by the Frankfurt Parliament.
2. Vorparlament: Organized and prepared for the Frankfurt Parliament.
3. Frankfurt Parliament: Revolutionary assembly of 1848 aimed at drafting a
constitution and unifying Germany.
Federal Diet → Vorparlament → Frankfurt Parliament.
1. To what extent did the Frankfurt Parliament attain its objectives by 1849?
The Vorparlament (pre – parliament)
• What it was – 7 people (there were 7 members) deciding what a new parliament
should be
• Aims/tasks - Made decisions upon setting up a new parliament so deciding
structure, how it would be elected etc. Key issue – how to unify Germany
• Issues – previously political unrest in S&W of Germany but revolutions began
spreading across Germany
• Impact – some elections were run differently according to state it was held in
• Frankfurt parliament first met in May 1848 and was composed of; mainly lawyers,
civil servants & teachers but there were 4 artisans and 1 peasant
Nature & work of the Frankfurt Parliament
• What it was – a revolutionary assembly formed in 1848 to draft a constitution & unify
Germany.
