Year 11 - History
The Weimar Republic
Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils study a modern society and the issues that affected it in great depth over a shorter period. They learn about the key events, developments, people and stories that shaped this modern society over a period of around twenty to thirty years.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe the strengths and weaknesses of the Weimar Republic's constitution.
Key Notes
- The new Weimar Republic was a representative democracy with several strengths and weaknesses.
- The new constitution allowed all adults over 20 to vote and used proportional representation.
- Divided power between branches of government caused delays, leading to the creation of Article 48 for emergencies.
- Proportional representation caused fragmented coalitions, making it hard to govern and faced opposition from all sides.
- Article 48 gave the President powers to act without parliament's approval in an emergency.
Vocabulary To Learn
- proportional representation: a political system in which parties are represented in parliament according to the number of people who voted for them
- constitution: a set of laws on how a country is run / governed
- coalition: the joining together of different political parties in order to achieve a majority and form a government
- moderate: a person whose opinions are not extreme and are therefore acceptable to a large number of people
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Proportional representation was purely a positive step forward because it gave a voice to smaller political parties.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
The new Weimar Republic was a representative democracy with several strengths and weaknesses. The new constitution allowed all adults over 20 to vote and used proportional representation.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'proportional representation'
a political system in which parties are represented in parliament according to the number of people who voted for them.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Proportional representation was purely a positive step forward because it gave a voice to smaller political parties. Correction: In fact, proportional representation led to fragmentation, with many small parties gaining seats in the Reichstag. This made it difficult to pass laws because no single party had a majority.
More Lessons In This Unit
- 1923, the Ruhr and hyperinflation Study Guide
- Early unrest and the Treaty of Versailles Study Guide
- Economic recovery under Stresemann Study Guide
- Employment in Nazi Germany Study Guide
- Goebbels and propaganda in Nazi Germany Study Guide
- Hitler's creation of a dictatorship Study Guide
- How Hitler became Chancellor of Germany Study Guide
- Nazi control of the police and the legal system Study Guide
- Nazi racial ideology and the treatment of minorities Study Guide
- Opposition and resistance in Nazi Germany Study Guide
- Social and economic change 1924-29 Study Guide
- Stresemann's international achievements Study Guide
- The early development of the NSDAP Study Guide
- The First World War and the German Revolution Study Guide
- The growth in support for the Nazi Party Study Guide
- The growth of unemployment and rise in support for the Communist Party Study Guide
- The Munich Putsch Study Guide
- The Nazi Party and religion Study Guide
- The NSDAP's 'lean years' Study Guide
- The persecution of Jews Study Guide
- The Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act Study Guide
- Threats to the Weimar Republic from the left and the right Study Guide
- Weimar culture 1924-29 Study Guide
- Women in Nazi Germany Study Guide
- Work and life in Nazi Germany Study Guide
- Young people in Nazi Germany Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 11 History guide library.