Life in 19 th Century Europe
Feb 16, 2016
Life in 19th Century Europe
March, 1815: Napoleon returned from exile on Elba
Supporters help him return to power Hundred DaysLouis XVIII flees into exile
June, 1815: Napoleon’s final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo
Exiled to St. Helena (island in the Atlantic)Napoleon died in 1821
Napoleon’s last Days
Created to establish peace and stability following the reign of NapoleonConvened in Sept, 1814Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia
were the main participantsDominated by Metternich, Chancellor of
AustriaP 572 for more on Metternich
Goal: restore and protect the balance of power
Congress of Vienna (1814-1815)
French territory restored to 1792 boundariesLost territories acquired by Napoleon
Monarchs restored to thrones of conquered territoriesLouis XVIII restored to throne of France
Kingdom of Netherlands created by uniting the Dutch Netherlands and the Austrian Netherlands
Prussia gained control of land along the Rhine RiverBritain and Russia also gained some landsSwitzerland recognized as an independent neutral stateGerman Confederation created in central Europe
Holy Roman Empire was officially dissolved during the reign of Napoleon
Congress of Vienna (1814-1815)
Conservatism: page 578-579Wanted to return to the days before the French
RevolutionSupported:
Strong monarchs rather than democratic governments Edmund Burke (British politician) was a major spokesperson for
conservativismTradition rather than changeReligion as a strong force in society
Favored by:Royal familiesChurch leaders
Important Conservatives: Metternich, Alexander I of Russia
Restoring Order
Liberalism: page 579-582Wanted to reduce the power of monarchsSupported:
Increased power for ParliamentConstitutional lawPersonal freedoms: press, speech, religionPrivate propertyFree market Economy
Liberals today tend to be oppositeFavored by:
Middle Class
Restoring Order
Reactions to Industrialization and social inequality, Socialist groups began to emerge.
Socialists often criticized the status quo and attacked private property as the root of social problems
Openly attacked laissez-faire economicsWorking conditions in factories and living
conditions among the poor led many to develop new theories on society, government, and economics.
Socialism
Utopian socialists were concerned with living conditions among the poor.
Called for a restructuring of society to create a more equal society
Utopian Socialism (p. 563-566)
Count Claude-Henri de Saint-Simon (1760-1825)Advocated for the creation of a social hierarchy based
upon productivity, those with the most useful skills would be at the top
Supported the use of science to make society betterCharles Fourier (1772-1837)
Believed history unfolds in cycles, the next cycle would be one of cooperation, harmony, and equality
Supported greater equality for womenEnvisioned a society organized into “phalanx”
communities. People would be organized based upon their personalities. The communities would live and work together to reach optimum productivity and harmony
Utopian Socialism
Etienne Cabet: 1788-1856Sought to apply the principles of Christianity to
help solve social problemsHe and some of his followers traveled to the
Americas to found utopian settlements in Texas and Iowa
Robert Owen: British industrialist and philanthropistBelieved education could help create a better
societySupported greater equality for women
Utopian Socialism
SocialismFlora Tristan: (1801-
1844) Advocated for more
equality for women See page 566 for more
info regarding Flora’s background and POV
Louis Blanc: (1811-1882) Called for more
government involvement in the economy (better wages, greater job opportunities, etc.)
Advocated for universal suffrage
Karl Marx Karl Marx (1818-1883)
Famous works: Communist Manifesto and Capital
Called his brand of socialism “Scientific Socialism”
Believed the working class (proletariat) were being exploited by the business owners (bourgeoisie)
Predicted a revolution in which the proletariat would rise up and over throw the bourgeoisie
His ideas are often associated with Communism
NationalismNationalism: pride and/or devotion to ones
culture and/or ones countryBecame popular in the 1800’sStarts during the time of NapoleonGrew after Napoleon’s defeat
Nationalism became a very important aspect of European society in the 1800’s and early 1900’sLeads to unification of Germany and ItalyLeads to intense pride within nationsLeads to conflict within empires as the various
ethnicities demand self-determination
RomanticismArtistic, literary, and musical movement in
the 1800’sEmphasized emotion, feeling, and
imaginationMoves away from the emphasis on logic that
was typical during the EnlightenmentCommon Characteristics:
Tragic figuresIndividualism and rebellion against middle
class valuesInterest in the Medieval period (Gothic
architecture, fairy tales, etc.)Fascination with the bizarre and unusual
Romanticism: Literature
Romanticism: ArtCommon
Characteristics: Helplessness of the
individual The power of nature
(storms, surging seas, dark forests)
Use of deep, rich colors
Wanderer Above the Sea and Fog
The Raft of the Medusa