Europe Since 1815 Test One Study Guide
Carlsbad Decrees- Revolution during the first half of the nineteenth century confirmed the worst
fears of conservatives. In 1819, Austrian Prime Minister Metternich moved to restore monarchial
power and held a meeting with leaders of the German states in Carlsbad. Metternich used fear to
push his agenda of rolling back freedoms and representative institutions. This goal became law
when the decrees were passed at the next meeting of the German Diet. The press was muzzled,
student fraternities became dissolved, and universal representation was renounced. The event
seemed to clinch victory over constitutionalism and help ensure that revolution would not spread.
Decembrist Revolt- By 1820, liberal reform advocates had become quite disappointed with the
reactionary turn of Alexander I. Two conspiratorial unions formed, the Northern Union with the
goal of constitutional monarchy and the Southern Union with the goal of a republic. When the
czar died, the Northern Union moved to replace the reactionary Nicholas I with his brother. In
addition, the Southern Union launched an insurrection. All efforts failed and the leaders of the
uprising were sentenced to execution. Nicholas I proceeded to tighten the grip on education in an
effort to exclude liberal ideas and reaffirm the absolute power of the monarchy.
July Monarchy- Charles X passed several new laws upon gaining the French throne. Token laws
that were never enforced as with the death penalty for sacrilege infuriated liberals. Conflict came
to a breaking point when liberals obtained a strong majority in 1830. Charles X passed unilateral
decrees of disenfranchisement for those who elected liberal majority. Resulting revolutionary
upheaval forced Charles X to leave the country. The throne went to Louis-Phillipe, a member of
the liberal Orleans house. The government became known as the July Monarchy and was notable
for widening the franchise, increasing civil rights, and ousting church from position of privilege.
Congress Poland- The Congress of Vienna had declared a portion of pre-partitioned Poland as
Congress Poland with its own army and constitution, but still within the Russian Empire. The
victorious allies were more liberal directly after the Napoleonic defeat, allowing new political
nature. In response to the July Revolution in France, independence came to the forefront with a
revolt in 1831. A crowd encircled the parliament and declared a national interim government.
However, an inability to maintain a cohesive front allowed the uprising to fail when facing
Russian forces. As a result, Nicholas I abolished the Polish army and constitution. Encouraged
by these measures, Austria and Prussia withdrew concessions given to Poles in their territories.
Peterloo/Six Acts- Radicalism in Britain led the government to dissolve radical societies and ban
strikes. In 1819, citizens gathered in Manchester to demand the rights of political organization
and free assembly. The gathering ended when soldiers shot protestors, resulting in many dead
and wounded. The event became known as Peterloo for symbolizing a shameful victory over the
defenseless poor. The ensuing Six Acts suspended habeas corpus and further restricted the press
as part of the growing reactionary trend during the restoration period. However, the repressive
phase ebbed rapidly when the government became convinced that compromise was necessary.
Conservative Anti-Capitalism- During the first half of the nineteenth century, industrialization
arose throughout Europe. The new era appeared to offer promise and prosperity for all people.
However, conservative anti-capitalism emerged to criticize capitalism for taking power from
traditional corporate structures. These conservatives believed that traditional corporate bodies
needed protection against freedom and liberty. Opposing liberal practices meant that socialism
, and enlightened ideas were rejected as radically democratic. Rather, the conservatives supported
medievalism where people fell under authority of lords, although not to the point of servility.
Young Italy- A failed rebellion in 1830 against the pope convinced independence supporters that
secret societies serving as the inspiration for revolution had come to an end. Tactics changed to
mass propaganda campaigns for nationalism under the Young Italy movement founded in 1831
by Mazzini. This organization was mainly composed of male college students in another sign of
change. Mazzini hoped to use the organization for mobilizing the masses and providing them
with a common purpose and faith. The organization itself served as the source of many ensuing
revolts in Italy and was where Garibaldi, a future unifier of Italy, first became politically active.
Windischgraetz- Windischgraetz was the commander of Austrian forces that helped to quell the
Bohemian Revolution of 1848. The pacification of Prague was a key victory in that conflict.
Artisans and the laboring poor fashioned barricades as part of a revolt, but met with defeat when
Windischgraetz bombarded the city. In addition, imperial armies under his control played a key
role in subduing Vienna. Workers rebelled when workshops for the jobless closed, but failed
when forces under Windischgraetz killed thousands of citizens. Overall, his success revealed that
professional armies were a major advantage and helped to restore Hapsburg authority.
Louis Blanc- Blanc was a French evolutionary socialist who emerged in the context of increased
wage labor from the industrialization process of the early nineteenth century. He claimed that all
societal evils resulted from competition that drove the weaker workers to the wall. To solve this
problem, Blanc believed that the state needed to provide assistance. The state would guarantee
employment in hard times, a decent wage, and credit to workers. With credit, Blanc thought that
workers would be able to create trade associations that would reorganize society along mutual
lines. For this type of socialism, the main point was peacefully increasing worker influence.
Whigs vs. Tories- By the early 1830s, revolutionary tendencies had created enough pressure to
force change in Britain. However, there was substantial disagreement concerning how far the
change should go. Tories hoped to protect the Anglican establishment while the Whigs supported
religious freedom for other Protestants and Catholics. Additionally, the Tories believed that the
franchise was perfect while the Whigs supported increasing the franchise. Despite the variations,
moderate Tories were willing to grant rights to other Protestants and Catholics under idea that
peace was essential. Moderate Tories joined with a Whig majority to expand the electorate in
1832. This was the first time where the franchise grew in a systematic way, which was hoped
would end unrest. Despite this hope, the Whigs never desired to expand the franchise again.
1848 Prussian Constitution - 1848 brought radical change to Prussia. Bloody revolutions forced
King Frederick IV to make changes in his government with new ministers that occupied a middle
position. These changes were considered too little and led liberal advocates to form the Frankfurt
Parliament in May of that year. Ensuing cabinet changes echoed the ongoing differences, which
eventually ended with partial royal victory from releasing a constitution loosely based upon the
parliamentary demands. This constitution excluded democratic tenants, but replaced the absolute
monarchy with constitutionalism. The constitution meant the end of the Frankfurt Parliament by
making it seem needless and providing legal means for later change. Moreover, the constitution
brought the first national representative body ever and survived post-revolutionary period.
Carlsbad Decrees- Revolution during the first half of the nineteenth century confirmed the worst
fears of conservatives. In 1819, Austrian Prime Minister Metternich moved to restore monarchial
power and held a meeting with leaders of the German states in Carlsbad. Metternich used fear to
push his agenda of rolling back freedoms and representative institutions. This goal became law
when the decrees were passed at the next meeting of the German Diet. The press was muzzled,
student fraternities became dissolved, and universal representation was renounced. The event
seemed to clinch victory over constitutionalism and help ensure that revolution would not spread.
Decembrist Revolt- By 1820, liberal reform advocates had become quite disappointed with the
reactionary turn of Alexander I. Two conspiratorial unions formed, the Northern Union with the
goal of constitutional monarchy and the Southern Union with the goal of a republic. When the
czar died, the Northern Union moved to replace the reactionary Nicholas I with his brother. In
addition, the Southern Union launched an insurrection. All efforts failed and the leaders of the
uprising were sentenced to execution. Nicholas I proceeded to tighten the grip on education in an
effort to exclude liberal ideas and reaffirm the absolute power of the monarchy.
July Monarchy- Charles X passed several new laws upon gaining the French throne. Token laws
that were never enforced as with the death penalty for sacrilege infuriated liberals. Conflict came
to a breaking point when liberals obtained a strong majority in 1830. Charles X passed unilateral
decrees of disenfranchisement for those who elected liberal majority. Resulting revolutionary
upheaval forced Charles X to leave the country. The throne went to Louis-Phillipe, a member of
the liberal Orleans house. The government became known as the July Monarchy and was notable
for widening the franchise, increasing civil rights, and ousting church from position of privilege.
Congress Poland- The Congress of Vienna had declared a portion of pre-partitioned Poland as
Congress Poland with its own army and constitution, but still within the Russian Empire. The
victorious allies were more liberal directly after the Napoleonic defeat, allowing new political
nature. In response to the July Revolution in France, independence came to the forefront with a
revolt in 1831. A crowd encircled the parliament and declared a national interim government.
However, an inability to maintain a cohesive front allowed the uprising to fail when facing
Russian forces. As a result, Nicholas I abolished the Polish army and constitution. Encouraged
by these measures, Austria and Prussia withdrew concessions given to Poles in their territories.
Peterloo/Six Acts- Radicalism in Britain led the government to dissolve radical societies and ban
strikes. In 1819, citizens gathered in Manchester to demand the rights of political organization
and free assembly. The gathering ended when soldiers shot protestors, resulting in many dead
and wounded. The event became known as Peterloo for symbolizing a shameful victory over the
defenseless poor. The ensuing Six Acts suspended habeas corpus and further restricted the press
as part of the growing reactionary trend during the restoration period. However, the repressive
phase ebbed rapidly when the government became convinced that compromise was necessary.
Conservative Anti-Capitalism- During the first half of the nineteenth century, industrialization
arose throughout Europe. The new era appeared to offer promise and prosperity for all people.
However, conservative anti-capitalism emerged to criticize capitalism for taking power from
traditional corporate structures. These conservatives believed that traditional corporate bodies
needed protection against freedom and liberty. Opposing liberal practices meant that socialism
, and enlightened ideas were rejected as radically democratic. Rather, the conservatives supported
medievalism where people fell under authority of lords, although not to the point of servility.
Young Italy- A failed rebellion in 1830 against the pope convinced independence supporters that
secret societies serving as the inspiration for revolution had come to an end. Tactics changed to
mass propaganda campaigns for nationalism under the Young Italy movement founded in 1831
by Mazzini. This organization was mainly composed of male college students in another sign of
change. Mazzini hoped to use the organization for mobilizing the masses and providing them
with a common purpose and faith. The organization itself served as the source of many ensuing
revolts in Italy and was where Garibaldi, a future unifier of Italy, first became politically active.
Windischgraetz- Windischgraetz was the commander of Austrian forces that helped to quell the
Bohemian Revolution of 1848. The pacification of Prague was a key victory in that conflict.
Artisans and the laboring poor fashioned barricades as part of a revolt, but met with defeat when
Windischgraetz bombarded the city. In addition, imperial armies under his control played a key
role in subduing Vienna. Workers rebelled when workshops for the jobless closed, but failed
when forces under Windischgraetz killed thousands of citizens. Overall, his success revealed that
professional armies were a major advantage and helped to restore Hapsburg authority.
Louis Blanc- Blanc was a French evolutionary socialist who emerged in the context of increased
wage labor from the industrialization process of the early nineteenth century. He claimed that all
societal evils resulted from competition that drove the weaker workers to the wall. To solve this
problem, Blanc believed that the state needed to provide assistance. The state would guarantee
employment in hard times, a decent wage, and credit to workers. With credit, Blanc thought that
workers would be able to create trade associations that would reorganize society along mutual
lines. For this type of socialism, the main point was peacefully increasing worker influence.
Whigs vs. Tories- By the early 1830s, revolutionary tendencies had created enough pressure to
force change in Britain. However, there was substantial disagreement concerning how far the
change should go. Tories hoped to protect the Anglican establishment while the Whigs supported
religious freedom for other Protestants and Catholics. Additionally, the Tories believed that the
franchise was perfect while the Whigs supported increasing the franchise. Despite the variations,
moderate Tories were willing to grant rights to other Protestants and Catholics under idea that
peace was essential. Moderate Tories joined with a Whig majority to expand the electorate in
1832. This was the first time where the franchise grew in a systematic way, which was hoped
would end unrest. Despite this hope, the Whigs never desired to expand the franchise again.
1848 Prussian Constitution - 1848 brought radical change to Prussia. Bloody revolutions forced
King Frederick IV to make changes in his government with new ministers that occupied a middle
position. These changes were considered too little and led liberal advocates to form the Frankfurt
Parliament in May of that year. Ensuing cabinet changes echoed the ongoing differences, which
eventually ended with partial royal victory from releasing a constitution loosely based upon the
parliamentary demands. This constitution excluded democratic tenants, but replaced the absolute
monarchy with constitutionalism. The constitution meant the end of the Frankfurt Parliament by
making it seem needless and providing legal means for later change. Moreover, the constitution
brought the first national representative body ever and survived post-revolutionary period.
