The original task was to create a new constitutional structure for Germany after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire eight years before.

The Federal Convention was created as a permanent congress of envoys of all member states, which replaced the former imperial central power of the Holy Roman Empire.

Until the March Revolution of 1848 and again after 1851 the Federal Convention of the German Confederation was the main instrument of the reactionary forces of Germany to suppress democracy, liberalism and nationalism.

For example, during 1835/36, the Federal Assembly decreed rules for censorship, which banned the works of Heinrich Heine and other authors in all states of the German Confederation.

The Regent resigned his office on 20 December 1849, though not before transferring all responsibilities of the provisional government to Austria and Prussia on 30 September.

By that time, all of the states in Germany had suppressed their Constitutions, popularly elected parliaments, and democratic clubs, thus erasing all work of the revolution.