Congress of Vienna Held in the winter of 1814-1815

In life, we must learn to get along with individuals especially when asked to problem solve. However, we must also learn to make sacrifices and/or “trade-offs.” Provide an example in your life when you had to sacrifice something in order to achieve a goal OR sacrifice something in order to gain something a little more valuable/practical. EX: 2009 Audi A4 vs 2015 Honda Civic - Sacrifice style and cool factor for trade offs: gas/mileage efficient, cost of car and maintenance EX: NYC vs LA

Congress of Vienna What are your strengths as a nation currently (1815)? What are your weaknesses? What are you willing to sacrifice in order to get what you want? How will you protect your interests while still seeking to keep a “balance of power” in Europe? Explain your strategy here: A. Who will you ally with to accomplish your goals, and why? (Countries involved: France, Britain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia) B. Geography: Will there be new independent states in Europe? Where? What will the borders look like? How will peace be kept in the new Europe?

Metternich’s goals Distrusted the democratic ideals of the French Revolution Felt Napoleon’s behavior had been the natural outcome of experiments with democracy Goals 1) prevent future French aggression by surrounding France with strong countries 2) wanted to restore a balance of power, so that no country would be a threat to others and be too powerful 3) restore Europe’s royal families to the thrones they had held before Napoleon’s conquests (legitimacy)

Balance of Power Although the leaders wanted to weaken France, they did not want to leave it powerless If they severely punished France – they will seek revenge If they broke up France – then another country might become strong and threaten them all

Legitimacy The great powers affirmed the principle of legitimacy = agreeing that as many as possible of the rulers whom Napoleon had driven from their thrones be restored to power. The hope was that this would restore political relations amongst the nations.

4 Main ISSUES 1) France’s Borders From 1799 to 1815, Napoleon’s French army invaded and conquered the majority of Europe’s countries. Millions were killed and hundreds of cities were destroyed. Should France get to keep the territory it won? What was the result? OPTION A: France will keep all the territory Napoleon’s army took. OPTION B: France will lose all the territory it gained and its borders will go back to where they were in 1799 before Napoleon’s wars. OPTION C: France will get to keep the little countries in central Europe, but none of the land in Austria, Russia, or Prussia.

ISSUES France’s Borders From 1799 to 1815, Napoleon’s French army invaded and conquered the majority of Europe’s countries. Millions were killed and hundreds of cities were destroyed. Should France get to keep the territory it won? What was the result? OPTION A: France will keep all the territory Napoleon’s army took. OPTION B: France will lose all the territory it gained and its borders will go back to where they were in 1799 before Napoleon’s wars. OPTION C: France will get to keep the little countries in central Europe, but none of the land in Austria, Russia, or Prussia.

ISSUES continued 2) France’s Government King Louis XVI is dead, Robespierre is dead, and Napoleon was kicked out of the country after his failed invasion of Russia. Which kind of government should France have? What was the result?  OPTION A: France will stay an empire: Napoleon Bonaparte will select the next leader.   OPTION B: France will become an absolute monarchy: King Louis XVIII (Louis XVI’s brother) will take the throne. OPTION C: France will become an indirect democracy: The people will elect leaders to a republic based on the American model.

ISSUES continued France’s Government King Louis XVI is dead, Robespierre is dead, and Napoleon was kicked out of the country after his failed invasion of Russia. Which kind of government should France have?   What was the result? OPTION A: France will stay an empire: Napoleon Bonaparte will select the next leader. OPTION B: France will become an absolute monarchy: King Louis XVIII (Louis XVI’s brother) will take the throne. OPTION C: France will become an indirect democracy: The people will elect leaders to a republic based on the American model.

ISSUES continued 3) Central Europe The 40 little countries in the middle of Europe proved too weak to defend themselves against unified France. What should be done with central Europe?   What was the result? OPTION A: The German speaking people in the center of Europe will be united as a new country as a buffer against France. OPTION B: The German speaking people in the center of Europe will be united as the “German Confederation” but be controlled by Prussia. OPTION C: The German speaking people in the center of Europe will stay divided into 40 little weak countries.

ISSUES continued Central Europe The 40 little countries in the middle of Europe proved too weak to defend themselves against unified France. What should be done with central Europe?   What was the result? OPTION A: The German speaking people in the center of Europe will be united as a new country as a buffer against France. OPTION B: The German speaking people in the center of Europe will be united as the “German Confederation” but be controlled by Prussia. OPTION C:The German speaking people in the center of Europe will stay divided into 40 little weak countries.

ISSUES continued 4) Democracy The French Revolution created a democracy that killed its monarchs, murdered thousands in the Reign of Terror, and voted to install a dictator who launched 15 years of war. How should democratic movements be dealt with? What was the result?  OPTION A: Democracy will be encouraged: Elections will be held in all nations and monarchs will be replaced by leaders chosen by the people. OPTION B: Democracy will be squashed: All nations promise to work together to prevent people from overthrowing their monarchs. OPTION C: Democracy will be slowly adopted: All nations agree that democracy is an idea that can’t be stopped, so reforms will be made gradually over time.

ISSUES continued Democracy The French Revolution created a democracy that killed its monarchs, murdered thousands in the Reign of Terror, and voted to install a dictator who launched 15 years of war. How should democratic movements be dealt with? What was the result?  OPTION A: Democracy will be encouraged: Elections will be held in all nations and monarchs will be replaced by leaders chosen by the people. OPTION B: Democracy will be squashed: All nations promise to work together to prevent people from overthrowing their monarchs. OPTION C: Democracy will be slowly adopted: All nations agree that democracy is an idea that can’t be stopped, so reforms will be made gradually over time.

The Containment of France - HONORS The Congress took the following steps to make the weak countries around France stronger The former Austrian Netherlands and Dutch Republic were united to form the Kingdom of the Netherlands A group of 40 German states were loosely joined as the newly created German Confederation, dominated by Austria Switzerland was recognized as an independent nation The Kingdom of Sardinia in Italy was strengthened by the addition of Genoa.

Congress of Vienna - Map As History

Legacy of the Congress of Vienna Nationalism began to spread in Italy, Germany, Greece and other areas that the Congress had put under foreign control. These nationalistic feelings would explode into revolutions and new nations would form. These movements were politically unstable because they were fights for freedom and independence for minority/ethnic groups inside existing countries.

Conservative Europe - HONORS Rulers of Europe were nervous about the legacy of the FR. They worried that the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity might encourage revolutions elsewhere. Russia, Prussia and Austria signed a Holy Alliance = pledged to base their relations with other nations on Christian principles in order to combat the forces of revolution Metternich devised the Concert of Europe = a series of alliances that ensured nations would help one another if any revolutions broke out