3C Vocab

By Veda Venkat

Greek Independence

A war (1821–1830) in which Greece fought for independence from the Ottoman Empire, supported by Britain, France, and Russia, leading to the establishment of a sovereign Greek state.

Peterloo Massacre

A deadly event in 1819 in Manchester, England, where cavalry charged a peaceful pro-reform demonstration, highlighting tensions between the working class and the government.

Louis XVII

The nominal King of France (1793–1795) who died in captivity during the French Revolution; son of Louis XVI, but never actually ruled.

Charles X

King of France (1824–1830), an ultraroyalist whose reactionary policies led to the July Revolution and his abdication.

Ultraroyalists

A political faction in post-Napoleonic France that supported absolute monarchy and sought to restore pre-revolutionary aristocratic privileges.

Concert of Europe

A diplomatic system established after the Congress of Vienna (1815) to maintain balance of power and suppress revolutionary movements in Europe.

Frederick William III

King of Prussia (1797–1840) who initially promised reforms but later supported conservative policies and resisted liberal change.

Burschenschaften

Student nationalist associations in 19th-century Germany advocating for unification and liberal reforms, often suppressed by conservative governments.

Karlsbad Decrees

A set of restrictive laws issued in 1819 by the German Confederation to suppress liberal and nationalist movements, including censorship and university oversight.

December Revolt

An 1825 uprising by Russian army officers (Decembrists) against Tsar Nicholas I, demanding constitutional reforms; it was quickly crushed.

Conservatism

A political ideology favoring tradition, monarchy, and social stability, opposing rapid change and revolutionary movements.

Liberalism

A political ideology advocating for individual freedoms, constitutional government, and free markets, gaining prominence in the 19th century.

Thomas Malthus

An English economist (1766–1834) known for his theory that population growth would outpace food production, leading to widespread poverty.

David Ricardo

A British economist (1772–1823) who developed the theory of comparative advantage and the "iron law of wages," arguing that wages naturally tend toward subsistence levels.

John Stuart Mill

A British philosopher (1806–1873) who advocated for liberalism, free speech, and social reforms, including women's rights and utilitarianism.

Nationalism

A political ideology emphasizing loyalty to a shared national identity, often based on culture, language, or ethnicity, driving 19th-century independence movements.

Socialism

A political and economic theory advocating for collective or governmental control of production and distribution to reduce economic inequality.

Utopian Socialism

An early form of socialism that envisioned ideal societies based on cooperative communities rather than class struggle.

Louis Blanc

A French socialist (1811–1882) who promoted worker cooperatives and government intervention to ensure employment and social welfare.

July Ordinances

A set of decrees issued by Charles X in 1830 restricting press freedom and electoral rights, sparking the July Revolution.

Louis-Philippe

King of France (1830–1848) known as the "Citizen King," who embraced constitutional monarchy but was later overthrown during the 1848 Revolutions.

1830 Revolutions/Revolts

A series of uprisings across Europe (France, Belgium, Poland, Italy) against conservative regimes, largely driven by nationalism and liberal demands.

Revolutions of 1848

A wave of democratic and nationalist revolts across Europe, leading to temporary liberal gains but ultimately conservative repression.

The Second Republic

The French government established after the 1848 Revolution, which lasted until the rise of Napoleon III in 1852.

Risorgimento

The 19th-century movement for Italian unification, aiming to consolidate various states into a single nation.

Giuseppe Mazzini

An Italian nationalist leader (1805–1872) who founded Young Italy and promoted democratic unification.

Police Systems

The development of organized law enforcement institutions in the 19th century to maintain order and suppress dissent.

Workhouses

Institutions in 19th-century Britain where the poor were housed and forced to work under harsh conditions as a form of social welfare.

Prison Reform

19th-century efforts to improve prison conditions, emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment.

Napoleon III

Emperor of France (1852–1870) who modernized the country but was eventually defeated in the Franco-Prussian War.

Baron Haussmann

The urban planner responsible for the modernization of Paris under Napoleon III, including wide boulevards and improved sanitation.

Crimean War

A conflict (1853–1856) between Russia and an alliance of Britain, France, and the Ottoman Empire, highlighting military and medical shortcomings.

Florence Nightingale

A British nurse (1820–1910) who revolutionized battlefield medicine during the Crimean War and founded modern nursing.

Count Camillo di Cavour

The Prime Minister of Piedmont-Sardinia who played a key role in Italian unification through diplomacy and military strategy.

Giuseppe Garibaldi

An Italian nationalist leader (1807–1882) who led the Red Shirts in military campaigns to unify Italy.

Zollverein

A German customs union led by Prussia, promoting economic unity and paving the way for political unification.

William I

King of Prussia (1861–1888) and first German Emperor, who oversaw unification efforts led by Bismarck.

Otto von Bismarck

Prussian statesman (1815–1898) who masterminded German unification through diplomacy and war.

Realpolitik

A pragmatic political approach prioritizing power and practicality over ideology, famously used by Bismarck.

Iron and Blood

A phrase from Bismarck’s 1862 speech, emphasizing military force over diplomacy in achieving German unification.

Bismarck’s Wars

A series of conflicts (Danish War, Austro-Prussian War, Franco-Prussian War) orchestrated by Bismarck to unify Germany.

Dual Monarchy

The 1867 political compromise creating Austria-Hungary, giving Hungary autonomy while maintaining Habsburg rule.

Abolition of Serfdom in Russia

The 1861 reform by Tsar Alexander II freeing Russian serfs, though many remained economically dependent.

Zemstvos

Local self-governments in Russia introduced in 1864 to provide regional administration and limited political participation.

Populism

A political movement emphasizing the rights and power of common people against elites.

Queen Victoria

British monarch (1837–1901) whose reign symbolized the British Empire's peak and moral conservatism.

Benjamin Disraeli

A British Conservative politician (1804–1881) who expanded imperial policies and social reforms.

William Gladstone

A British Liberal politician (1809–1898) known for expanding democracy and advocating Irish Home Rule