The Forty Eighters: The Unification Of Germany

Hordes of Germans crowding onto the wooden ship, pushing and shoving their fellow neighbors in competition for a better life. This was the dismal reality for many Germans during the unification of Prussia. As a result of the Prussian unification of Germany, many Germans immigrated to America in search of religious freedom, economic opportunities, and freedom from political and social persecution. The unification of Prussia began when the leader Bismarck came into power. Bismarck became the prime minister because the Germans could not agree on how long one should have to serve in war. Otto Von Bismarck’s main goal while in power was to make Prussia a stronger state than Austria. (“The Unification of Germany 1864-1871”)
Religious freedom was very …show more content…
There was a group of political refugees who came to America called the “Forty Eighters”. The political group was dubbed the “Forty Eighters” due to the time period the group was initiated in, which was 1848. (“Forty Eighters”) The Forty Eighters belonged to the Democratic Party and were dissatisfied with Bismarck’s political standpoints. “In the United States they sought a democratic government…” (“German Immigration: 1830-1860”) This quote embraces the idea of how the German immigrants were simply seeking freedom and fairness from their government. One could not call the entire German government communist, but some parts of the German constitution were designed to give the chancellor and prime minister “primary decision making power”. (“Germany from 1871 to 1918”)
In conclusion, German immigration was fueled by many factors. Religious, economic, and political freedom were things that the Germans valued highly, and they refused to let the German government deprive them of it. The unification of Prussia was not welcomed by many Germans, and it caused uproar between the countries, but for many it was the beginning of a new