How did “Germany” get from the defunct Holy Roman Empire to the 1871 Wilhelmine Kaiserreich?
• Important Point: haphazard, contingent way that central European pricipalities became “Germany” map of central Europe prior to 1806: conglomerate of 236 states, emperor is elected 1815-1830: consolidation to 30 states after Congress of Vienna • The Customs Union (Zollverein), completed in 1834, enabled economic development.