1. Did the Congress of Vienna succeed in “turning back the clock” to the time before the French Revolution?
Period 5:

3. I What was the Congress of Vienna September 1, 1814 – June 9, 1815
A) The Congress of Vienna was an unprecedented meeting of the most powerful nation-states of Europe. It began 5 months after Napoleon’s 1st abdication and completed its “Final Act” June 1815, shortly before the Waterloo campaign and the final defeat of Napoleon. B) Led by Prince Metternich of Austria (represented Emperor Francis II). Other countries represented were England, Russia, Prussia and France. France was invited because after the defeat of Napoleon, a new king, Louis XVIII was given power. C) MEETING INTERUPPTED March 1815 Napoleon escaped from exile on Elba and started the Hundred Days Campaign. The allies defeated him at Waterloo June 18th, 1815, 9 days after having signed the Final Act of the Congress of Vienna. Napoleon was shipped to St Helena where he remained until his death.

4. “The Host” Prince Klemens von Metternich of Austria
“When France has a cold, all of Europe sneezes.”
Metternich was CONSERVATIVE
Opposed nationalist and revolutionary movements as they would threaten the existence of the Austrian Empire which was multi-racial state.

5. Foreign Minister, Charles Maurice de Tallyrand (France)
Other Key Players
Tsar Alexander I had a major role in the downfall of Napoleon. He hoped to gain territory from Poland.
Tsar Alexander I
(Russia)
Foreign Minister, Charles Maurice de Tallyrand (France)
While Tallyrand represented a defeated France, he wanted to secure a lenient treaty for France, to promote and safeguard the interests of France and to end her isolation.

6. King Frederick William III
Other Key Players
King Frederick William III
(Prussia)
Foreign Minister Viscount Castlereagh (Britain)
William III of Prussia wanted as much territory as possible for the loss of Prussian Poland to Russia and to reassure Prussia’s position in Germany.
What worried him most was how to keep the European continent open to British trade.

7. II Goals of the Congress of Vienna
The main goal was to undo everything that Napoleon had done:
1. Reduce France to its old boundaries & prevent it from attacking Europe again
2. Legitimacy of rule: Restore the old European monarchies
3. Create a balance of power to prevent future wars
4. Provide compensation from France to nations who fought against Napoleon

9. III Results of the Congress of Vienna
A) France lost ALL land taken by Napoleon
B) The German states were loosely joined under the German Confederation lead by Austria.
C) Freedom of navigation on major European waterways.
D) Congress System: The great powers would meet to discuss important issues. *This was before the UN!
E) Opposed religious intolerance and slavery.
F) Denied independence to Belgians, Poles, and other nationalistic groups
No war between any of the great powers occurred for the next 40 years, until the Crimean War.

10. IV New Political Ideologies
Because he sought to “turn back the clock” to Old Regime conditions, the Age of Metternich is also called the Age of Reaction.
A reactionary wishes to return to a previous condition
A conservative wishes to maintain existing conditions
A liberal wishes to make moderate changes gradually
A radical wishes to make basic changes quickly

11. New Political Ideologies Continued…
Reactionary: “The truth is that men are tired of liberty” –Benito Mussolini Conservative: “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.” – Ronald Reagan Liberal: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” “I think when you spread the wealth around it's good for everybody.” – Barack Obama Radical: “The true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality.” – Che Guevera

12. V Metternich’s System
A) To enforce his reactionary views, Metternich censored speech and press, and used secret police in the Austrian Empire. B) 1815 Metternich organized the Quadruple Alliance of Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Britain to suppress revolutions. (Also called the Concert of Europe). In 1818 France became a member. In 1820 Britain left. WHY?

13. Europe 1810

14. Europe After the Congress of Vienna

15. Above is the Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, where the Congress of Vienna was held. Ludwig van Beethoven conducted a performance at the Congress!

16. Which statement about the Congress of Vienna would you agree most with?
“1815 is the one and only time in European history when statesmen sat down to construct a peaceful international system after a great war and succeeded. This astonishing accomplishment in international politics made possible much of the change and progress in 19th century European society” - Paul Schroeder, The Transformation of European Politics “There was certainly no lack of awareness of the strength of national feeling in Germany, Poland and Italy, and by failing to take it into account in their arrangements the architects of the settlement defeated their own purpose and sowed the seeds of untold problems in the future.” - Adam Zamoyski, The Rites of Peace: The Fall of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna

17. Summary Questions Questions
What was the Congress of Vienna?
What were its goals?
What were its outcomes?
Are you more liberal, conservative, reactionary, or radical?
Did the Congress of Vienna change Europe for the better or worse?
Key Vocabulary
Concert of Europe
Congress of Vienna
Conservatives
Legitimacy of Rule
Liberalism
Metternich
Quadruple Alliance
Radical
Reactionary