The Constitution

Main Features
1. For every 60,000 votes each party got they a member. This was called Proportional Representation
2. The President was the Head of state and he was elected every 7 years. He was in control of The Armed Forces, he could dismiss or choose the Chancellor and he could ignore the Reichstag to make laws of his own. The German President at the time was Hindenburg.
3. The bill of rights meant that the constitution guaranteed every German: Freedom of speech, Freedom of press, Freedom to meet and Freedom from arrest without a good excuse
4. The Reichstag were the German Parliament and they could choose the Chancellor and vote on laws
5. Each German state kept its own government, but they had little power. National laws overruled local state laws
Strengths
1. All Germans had equal rights, including the right to vote
2. Proportional representation made sure parties had the same percentage of seats in Parliament as they did in the election
3. Provided a strong leader to keep control over the country in an emergency
4. Each state had its own elected assembly to represent loval interests
Weaknesses
1. The president had too much power over everything
2. The president could make and change laws to please himself
3. If the chancellor didn't do everything the president wanted him to the president could just change him
4. There was only one person in charge of the armed forces

Resource summary

	Created by Jodi Burke over 8 years ago