A constitution drafted by Bismarck set up a two-house legislature.the <span>upper house, was appointed by the rulers of the </span>German states and the<span> lower house, was elected by universal male suffrage
</span>Bundesrat the upper house, was appointed by the rulers of the German<span> states. </span>
Land was flat close to the coastline but became hilly and mountainous farther inland. Soil was generally rocky, making farming difficult. Cold winters reduced the spread of disease.
