What was the political structure of modern-day nation Germany in 1860s?

The political structure of modern-day nation Germany in the 1860s was very complex, characterized by a mix of independent states, duchies, and kingdoms, each with its own form of government. The most powerful state was Prussia, which controlled much of Northern and Central Germany. Prussia was ruled by a monarchy with a parliament, the Landtag, that had limited power. Other major states such as Bavaria and Saxony also had monarchies and parliaments, but their power was also limited.

In the 1860s, there was a growing movement towards unification of these states into a single nation-state. This was led by the Prussian Prime Minister, Otto von Bismarck, who believed that a unified Germany would be stronger economically and politically. Bismarck orchestrated a series of wars with neighboring countries, such as the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War, which resulted in the unification of Germany in 1871. The newly unified Germany became a federal state with a constitutional monarchy, with the Prussian King William I as the first German Emperor.