Final answer:
The unification of Germany was driven by cultural and linguistic similarities and military conquest and imperial expansion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The historical circumstances that led to the unification of Germany can be attributed to cultural and linguistic similarities among German-speaking states, as well as military conquest and imperial expansion.
During the mid-19th century, Germany sought to remove foreign political influence and solidify its cultural and linguistic unity. This momentum of unification was fuelled by the tensions lingering after the Franco-Prussian War, the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine, and the rise of Germany as an industrial and military force.
Otto von Bismarck, Germany's prime minister at the time, pursued a course of diplomacy aimed at alienating France and forging alliances to protect Germany and maintain peace in Europe.