AP Euro Vocab Words - Unit 7 (Congress of Vienna - Revolutions)

Vocabulary terms covering critical figures, events, and ideologies from the Congress of Vienna through the late nineteenth-century revolutions and unifications as presented in Unit 8.

Congress of Vienna (1814-1815)

A meeting of European powers after Napoleon’s defeat to restore political stability and redraw European borders based on conservative principles.

Tsar Alexander I (1777-1825)

Emperor of Russia who played a major role in defeating Napoleon and helped shape the conservative settlement at the Congress of Vienna.

Charles Maurice Talleyrand (1754-1838)

French diplomat who represented defeated France at the Congress of Vienna and successfully reintegrated France into European politics.

Concert of Europe (1815-1850s)

A system of cooperation among major European powers designed to maintain peace and suppress revolutionary movements.

Louis XVIII (1755-1824)

Bourbon king restored to the French throne after Napoleon, ruling under a constitutional monarchy.

German Confederation (1815-1866)

A loose association of 39 German states created by the Congress of Vienna to replace the Holy Roman Empire.

Conservatism (early 1800s)

A political ideology favoring tradition, monarchy, and social stability while opposing rapid political change or revolution.

Romanticism (c. 1800-1850)

An artistic and intellectual movement emphasizing emotion, nature, nationalism, and individual expression over reason.

Germaine de Staël (1766-1817)

French writer and political thinker who criticized Napoleon and promoted liberal constitutional government.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

German writer and philosopher associated with Romanticism and one of Europe’s most influential literary figures.

Young Italy (founded 1831)

A nationalist movement led by Giuseppe Mazzini seeking to unify Italy into a democratic republic.

Second Republic (France, 1848-1852)

The French government established after the Revolution of 1848, introducing universal male suffrage before Napoleon III seized power.

Crimean War (1853-1856)

Conflict between Russia and an alliance of Britain, France, and the Ottoman Empire, weakening Russia’s influence in Europe.

Camillo Benso di Cavour (1810-1861)

Prime minister of Piedmont-Sardinia who used diplomacy and war to promote Italian unification.

Red Shirts (1860s)

Volunteer army led by Giuseppe Garibaldi that helped unify southern Italy with the north.

Seven Weeks’ War (1866)

Short war between Austria and Prussia resulting in Prussian dominance over German affairs.

Second Empire (France, 1852-1870)

The authoritarian regime of Napoleon III following his coup and proclamation as emperor.

Reichstag (established 1871)

The elected legislative body of the German Empire after unification.

Klemens von Metternich (1773-1859)

Austrian foreign minister and leading conservative statesman who sought to suppress nationalism and revolution in Europe.

Emperor Francis I (1768-1835)

Austrian emperor who supported conservative policies and worked closely with Metternich.

Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle (1818)

Meeting of European powers that ended the occupation of France and strengthened cooperation among monarchies.

Holy Alliance (1815)

Agreement between Russia, Austria, and Prussia pledging to defend Christian monarchy and oppose revolutionary movements.

Rocco (fictional symbol, early 1800s)

Often used in discussions of conservative restoration culture and aristocratic identity during the post-Napoleonic era.

Lajos Kossuth (1802-1894)

Hungarian nationalist leader who led the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 against Austrian rule.

Liberalism (1800s)

Political ideology supporting constitutional government, individual rights, and expanded political participation.

Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-1872)

Italian nationalist revolutionary who promoted democratic republicanism and inspired unification movements.

Humiliation of Olmütz (1850)

Diplomatic crisis in which Prussia backed down to Austria, delaying German unification under Prussian leadership.

Charles X (1757-1836)

Reactionary French king whose conservative policies triggered the July Revolution of 1830.

July Monarchy (1830-1848)

Constitutional monarchy in France under Louis Philippe following the July Revolution.

Luxembourg Commission (1848)

French government body formed to address workers’ concerns during the 1848 revolution.

Peace of Paris (1856)

Treaty ending the Crimean War and limiting Russian influence in the Black Sea.

Victor Emmanuel II (1820-1878)

King of Piedmont-Sardinia and later the first king of a unified Italy.

Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898)

Prussian chancellor who unified Germany through war and pragmatic diplomacy known as Realpolitik.

Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)

Conflict between France and Prussia that led to German unification and the fall of Napoleon III.

Paris Commune (1871)

Radical socialist government briefly ruling Paris after France’s defeat in the Franco-Prussian War.

Proclamation of the German Empire (1871)

Declaration at Versailles establishing a unified German Empire under Prussian leadership.

Viscount Castlereagh (1769-1822)

British foreign secretary who helped design the balance-of-power settlement at the Congress of Vienna.

Frederick William III (1770-1840)

King of Prussia who supported conservative reforms while resisting liberal constitutional demands.

Karl von Hardenberg (1750-1822)

Prussian reformer who modernized administration and supported limited reforms after Napoleon’s defeat.

Legitimacy (1815 principle)

Idea promoted at the Congress of Vienna that rightful monarchs should be restored to their thrones.

Neoclassicism (late 1700s-early 1800s)

Artistic movement inspired by classical Greek and Roman styles emphasizing order and rationality.

Nationalism (1800s)

Belief that people sharing language, culture, and history should form independent nations.

Reactionary (1800s)

Political stance favoring a return to traditional monarchy and opposition to liberal or revolutionary change.

Georg Friedrich List (1789-1846)

German economist who advocated economic nationalism and protective tariffs to strengthen industry.

Carlsbad Decrees (1819)

Laws imposed by Metternich restricting press freedom and suppressing nationalist student organizations in German states.

Henri de Saint-Simon (1760-1825)

French social thinker whose ideas influenced early socialism and industrial reform movements.

Louis Philippe (1773-1850)

“Citizen King” of France who ruled during the July Monarchy before being overthrown in 1848.

Frankfurt Parliament (1848-1849)

Assembly of German liberals attempting unsuccessfully to unify Germany under a constitutional government.

Risorgimento (c. 1815-1871)

Movement for Italian national unification combining diplomacy, revolution, and warfare.

Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882)

Italian nationalist general whose military campaigns helped unite Italy.

Realpolitik (mid-1800s)

Political philosophy emphasizing practical goals and power politics over ideology or morality.

Napoleon III (1808-1873)

French emperor who ruled during the Second Empire and modernized France before losing power in 1870.

Alexander II (1818-1881)

Russian tsar known for major reforms including the emancipation of the serfs in 1861.