The German Constitution of 1848

The German Constitution of 1848, known as the Frankfurt Constitution, aimed to unify Germany under a constitutional monarchy with democratic principles. It proposed a federal structure where individual German states retained some independence but agreed to common laws and institutions. It established fundamental rights, such as freedom of speech and assembly, and called for a national parliament elected by universal manhood suffrage. However, it faced opposition from both conservative and monarchist forces and was never fully implemented, ultimately falling apart by 1851. The constitution was a significant step toward modern democratic ideas in Germany, even if it was short-lived.