An Age of Ideologies Chapter 21 Section 1

EUROPE IN 1812

Congress of Vienna Formal meeting of European powers in 1815. Prince Clemens von Metternich warned that ideas spread by the French Revolution and Napoleon threatened Europe’s monarchs.

Conservatives This group included monarchs, members of government, nobles, and church leaders. Conservative ideas also appealed to peasants who wanted to preserve tradition. They sought to preserve things as they were before the French Revolution. They benefited from the old order. They backed the Church, as well as the monarchs. They believed talk of natural rights and constitutions would lead to chaos as it did in France.

Liberals This group included the bourgeoisie: bankers, business owners, lawyers, writers, politicians They embraced the ideas of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. Liberals wanted rulers elected by the people and a constitutional government. They strongly supported a free market and laissez-faire economics, as well as universal manhood suffrage.

Nationalists For centuries European rulers had won/lost land thru warfare, as well as thru contracted marriages. As a result, many regions had passed through different empires. People in these areas long sought a national identity of their own and not their rulers. During the 1800s, many of these regions sought autonomy: self-rule.

Bosnia & Greece Revolt The Balkins, home to many ethnic groups, rebelled against their ruling Ottoman Empire. The first group to revolt were the Serbs. Slavic literature and culture would add to their sense of nationhood. In 1821, the Greeks revolted against Ottoman rule as well. By 1830, Greece had won independence, but would soon be forced to accept a German king. Seen as a national war/holy war