North German Confederation (1866)

Definition

The North German Confederation was a federation established by Otto von Bismarck that included all German states north of River Main excluding Austria. It laid groundwork for modern Germany's unification.

Analogy

Consider North German Confederation as an exclusive club where only certain members are allowed entry - those who are north of River Main. This club later expanded into what we now know as Germany!

Related terms

Otto von Bismarck: He was a conservative Prussian statesman who dominated German politics from 1860s until 1890s. He masterminded formation of North German Confederation.

Austro-Prussian War: This was a war in 1866 between Prussia and Austria, resulting in Prussian dominance over the German states.

German Unification: This refers to the processes by which various German-speaking states became unified into a single nation-state known as Germany.