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Reform, Reaction, and Revolution: The European States, 1815-1850

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    Frederick William of Prussia - German States

    Instituted institutional and political reform, responding to Prussia's defeat by Napoleon. Among the reforms was the abolition of serfdom and expansion of primary and secondary schools. Frederick grew to become more of a reactionary and Prussia became a more absolutist state.
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    Louis XVIII - France

    The Bourbon family was restored to the throne in France with Louis XVIII.He understood and accepted some of Napoleon's changes like the Napoleonic Code but was a strong moderate.Under Louis, a bicameral legislature was established in France.
  • Germanic Confederation Established

    Germanic Confederation Established
    The organization of 39 German states by the Cobgress of Vienna. This act replaced the Holy Roman Empire. It was ordered to promote mutual defense.
  • Union of Netherlands and Belgium

    Union of Netherlands and Belgium
    Belgium and the Northern Netherlands united as one state under the Congress of Vienna. The new state was ruled by King William I.
  • Karlsbad Decrees

    Karlsbad Decrees
    Resolutions issued by ministers from major German states to convince all states to unite against revolutionary, liberal and nationalistic ideas. Enforced with varied severity in the states over the next ten years. Failed to curtail liberal thought and stifle nationalism.
  • Peterloo Massacre - England

    Peterloo Massacre - England
    Occurred at St.Peter's Field in Manchester, England. A calvalry charged into a crowd that was demanding representation reform within the Parliament.
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    Tsar Nicholas I

    Brought classic autocracy with his reactionary policies. He was called "the emperor who froze Russia for 30 years."
  • Decembrist Revolt - Russia

    Decembrist Revolt - Russia
    Unsuccessful uprising by the upper class military men, to refuse to take a loyalty oath to Nicholas I and demand his brother Constantine rule instead.Poorly put together and easily crushed.
  • Belgian Independence

    Belgian Independence
    Austrian Netherlands ( Belgium ), rose up against the Dutch and convinced major European powers to accept their independence.The new king would be Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and a national congress established a constitutional monarchy for the new nation.
  • July Revolution - France

    July Revolution - France
    Brought Louis-Philippe to the throne of France. The revolution was started with Charles X's publication of "restrictive ordinances contrary to the spirit of the Charter of 1814."
  • Polish Uprising - Russia

    Polish Uprising - Russia
    The November Uprising, otherwise known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed revolt in the heart of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. Unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Russian rule.
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    Louis-Philippe - France

    Lived in exile throughout the French Revolution and returned to France after Napoleon's defeat. Became "citizen king" after the July Revolution. He was forced to abdicate his throne after years of repressive rule.
  • Suppression of Polish Revolt - Russia

    Suppression of Polish Revolt - Russia
    Rebels lost control of the situation to moderate political figures, who restored city order and hoped to negotiate with Nicholas for political concessions. Although the rebellion gained great support and its new leaders formally deposed Nicholas as king of Poland (Jan. 25, 1831), the conservative military commanders were unprepared when Nicholas’ army moved in (Feb. 5–6, 1831).
  • Reform Act - England

    Reform Act - England
    An act to reform the electoral system. A response to many years of people criticizing the electoral system as unfair. There were constituencies with only a small percentage of voters that elected two MPs to Parliament.
  • Poor Law - England

    Poor Law - England
    In 1834, the Poor Law Amendment Act was passed by Parliament. Designed to reduce the cost of caring for the poor, it stopped money going to poor people except in exceptional circumstances. Now if people wanted help they had to seek work.
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    Emperor Ferdinand I - Austrian Empire

    Of the House of Lorraine. Ruled until his abdication after the Revolutions of 1848.
  • Repeal of Corn Laws - England

    Repeal of Corn Laws - England
    Corn Laws were repealed in 1846, a success for manufacturers, whose growth had been hampered by protection of grain." After 1791, protective legislation, combined with trade prohibitions imposed by war, forced grain prices to rise sharply."
  • Revolutions in Italy

    Revolutions in Italy
    Organized revolts in the states of the Italian peninsula and Sicily, led by those who desired a liberal government. Italian nationalists sought to eliminate reactionary Austrian grip. During this time period, Italy was not unified and was divided into many states, which, in Northern Italy, were ruled by the Austrian Empire. "A desire to be free from foreign rule, and the conservative leadership.."
  • Revolution in Germany

    Revolution in Germany
    They were a "series of loosely coordinated protests" and rebellions in the states of the German Confederation, also in the Austrian Empire. The revolutions "demonstrated popular discontent with the traditional, largely autocratic political structure of the thirty-nine independent states of the Confederation that inherited the German territory of the former Holy Roman Empire." They showed the popular desire for the Zollverein movement.
  • King Charles Albert Attacks Austrians - Italy

    King Charles Albert Attacks Austrians - Italy
    King Charles Albert, ruled Piedmont-Sardinia and aspired to unite Italy. He declared war on Austria and launched a full-out attack. Lacking backup, Charles Albert was no match for the powerful Austrian army. He was defeated at the Battle of Custoza, he signed a truce, and withdrew his forces. Austria remained dominant and the Revolution was lost.
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    Frankfurt Assembly

    First "freely elected parliament in Germany." Came about as a result of a liberal revolutionary movement.
  • June Days: Worker's Revolt in Paris

    June Days: Worker's Revolt in Paris
    "The June days were a bloody but unsuccessful rebellion by the Paris workers against a conservative turn in the Republic's course."
  • Viennese Rebels Crushed - Austrian Empire

    Viennese Rebels Crushed - Austrian Empire
    "Viennese radicals welcomed the arrival of Hungarian troops as the only force able to stand up against the court and ministry." "The radicals took control of the city for only a short period of time. Windisch-Grätz led soldiers from Prussia to quickly defeat the insurgents."
  • Establishment of the Second Republic - France

    Establishment of the Second Republic - France
    French second republic was established after the Revolution of 1848 ended the July monarchy of King Louis-Philippe. In 1848 Louis-Napoléon was elected president, and a "monarchist majority"was elected to the legislative assembly, which passed conservative measures restricting many rights.
  • Election of Louis Napoleon as French President

    Election of Louis Napoleon as French President
    Louis was the only president of the French second republic and first to be elected by a direct popular vote. Nephew of Napoleon I.