Revolutions Unit 2 Lesson 1 Congress of Vienna Review

Balance of power

Nobody wanted any one state to be more powerful than any other state

“The great powers”/Quadruple Alliance

Russia, Prussia, Austria, Great Britain, and France which joined together to create the Congress of Vienna

Matternich’s goals

• Prevent aggression from France by surrounding it with strong countries

• Restore a balance of power

• Restore European royal families to the thrones they had before Napoleon

German confederation

A group of territories that united against French control with German identities (Germany was not a place at the time but it was a language)

Congress of Vienna

New policies that reestablished conservatives reforms like absolute monarchies. Led to a period of peace throughout Europe with a balance of power which was helpful after the chaos of Napoelon.

Crimean War

Russia tried to take the Balkan area in the Ottoman Empire so they could grow territory and have access to Mediterranean trade routes. Britain, France, and the Ottoman Empire fought back against Russia, disturbing period of peace and balance of power from the Congress of Vienna. Russia and Austria were previously allies, but Austria stayed neutral and didn’t support Russia loosing their support and resulting in Austria weakening.

Conservative countries

Eastern and Central Europe

Absolute Monarchy countries

Russia, Prussia, and Austria

Holy Alliance 1815

Czar Alexander I (Russia), King Fredrick WIlliam III (Prussia), and Emperor Francis I (Austria) united with Catholicism to combat forces of the revolution and secularism. (all monarchies)

Concert of Europe

The Congress of Vienna was a meeting that established the Concert of Europe. The Concert of Europe was a period of cooperation among the major European powers to maintain peace and the status quo, preventing large-scale wars and revolutionary movements. 

Conservatism

Reliance on tradition and inherited structures - trusted old ways like when Louis XVIII was in power rather than Liberal reforms that caused chaos

Liberals

Opposed absolute monarchies, wanted to unify Germany, and wanted democratic representation (usually the common people who missed French Revolution ideas)

Nationalism

Unique cultural identity separate from others and often used ethnic distinctions - united smaller empires like Italy, but was destabilizing for larger empires like Russia or Austria

Social attitudes

The assumptions made by a group based on a characterization.

Result of French Revolution

Diminished French power and Britain and Prussia gained more power, Nationalism ideas spread throughout Europe causing Revolutions, social attitudes developed

Klemens von Metternich

Foreign Minister of Austria that led the German Confederation and was against French Revolution ideas and Democracies - wanted to return to pre-Napoleon ways and absolute monarchs

Czar Alexander I

Russian ruler during the Congress of Vienna

King Frederick WIlliam III

Prussian ruler during the Congress of Vienna

Emperor Francis I

Austrian ruler during the Congress of Vienna

Which nations created by the Congress of Vienna were formerly part of the French Empire?

Switzerland was recognized as an independent nation and the German Confederation united against French control.

What two nations probably dominated the German Confederation

Prussia and Austria took up most of the territory in the German Confederation so they most likely dominated it.

Did the Congress of Vienna increase or decrease nationalism in Europe?

The congress of Vienna both increased and decreased Nationalism in Europe. It decreased Nationalism by the restoration of monarchies, which suppressed French Revolution and nationalism ideas. The balance of power was also used to unite Europe and prevent Nationalism uprisings. Big territories like Russia and Austria controlled diverse and multi-ethnic groups preventing uprisings. The congress of Vienna increased Nationalism by unification from the German Confederation and angering the Polish under Russia's control who wanted independence. The French Revolution and Napoleonic wars had also shown people across Europe how these Nationalism ideas were put into action, growing its popularity.

Compare the Europe 1815 map to the one we made for Napoleon’s empire. What are three things you notice?

Smaller countries like the Netherlands and Piedmont gained independence from the French Empire, the Russian Empire grew taking over Poland, and Austria grew taking over some French land.

How did the Napoleonic wars and the French Revolution create the need for the Congress of Vienna?

After Napoleon was exiled, European leaders needed to restore order and re-establish peace.

What were the key goals of the Congress of Vienna? Who were the key players and their objectives?

Meetings were held by the “great powers” (Russia, Prussia, Austria, Great Britain, and France). Their goal was to restore pre-Napoleonic ways and absolute monarchies. They didn’t trust democracies and liberal reforms which had caused chaos. One of their major representatives was Klemens von Metternich from Austria. His goals were to prevent agression from France by surrounding it with strong countries, restore a balance of power throughout Europe, and restore European royal families to the throne from before Napoleon.

How did the Congress of Vienna attempt to create a balance of power?

They used strong countries around France to make a buffer, isolating France and preventing it from overpowering weaker countries. Some examples of this were the Dutch Republic uniting with the Austrian Netherlands, and 39 states combining into the German Confederation who all united against their common enemy-France.

How did different political ideologies (conservatism, liberalism, nationalism) influence the decisions made at the Congress?

The policies created had to appeal to all parties to prevent an uprising. The policies were mainly targeted to be more conservative with the restoration of the monarchies and suppression of revolutionary ideas, but some elements of Liberalism were included because of its growing influence. Nationalism was also mostly suppressed.

Principal of Legitimacy

The principle that restored monarchs to their throne

Quadruple Alliance

The five great powers without France (Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain)

Bourbon and Hapsburg families

The French and Austrian dynasties that were brought back after Napoleon’s defeat.

How did Metternich try to contain nationalism and liberalism? What was the result?

He used the Holy Alliance and the concert of Europe to maintain stability of these conservative regimes. These two groups used their power to prevent the spread of Nationalism and Liberalism. It resulted in short term success, where for decades the monarchies were able to maintain control until the Revolutions of 1848 broke out. Over time, Metternich's influence declined, repressing his ideas and later causing Nationalist ideas to grow with the creation of German and Italian unification.