1. Unit 5: The French Revolution and Napoleonic Era (1789 – 1815)

2.  The Five “Great Powers” of Europe (Russia, Prussia, Austria, Great Britain, & France) + minor delegates met for 8 months in Vienna, Austria during the winter of 1814-15.  The goal was to create a politically balanced and stable Europe to ensure peace in the aftermath of Napoleon’s collapse.  To work for a new European order! One more time: Who am I?

3.  The Austrian Foreign Minister was the most influential delegate at Vienna.  He mistrusted democracy and saw Napoleon’s rise to power as an example of its failure. He wanted to go back to the old ways before chaos.  He wanted to restore law & order by: 1. Weaken France by surrounding with strong nations. 2. Restore the Balance of Power to provide security from war. 3. Restore Europe’s Legitimate Monarchs & Royal Families to the thrones they held before Napoleon’s conquests.

4.  The Congress wanted to surround France with stronger countries. 1. Austrian Netherlands + Dutch Republic = Kingdom of the Netherlands 2. 39 German states = German Confederation 3. Switzerland became independent 4. Sardinia in Italy gained Genoa

5.  They wanted to weaken it, but not leave it powerless. Feared France may want revenge one day.  If they broke up France, another nation may take its territory and become too powerful.

6.  They wanted to remove Napoleon’s puppets & put legitimate monarchs & royal families back in power.  Louis XVIII back again in France, Spain, and several Italian states had legitimate monarchs restored.

7.  Britain & France had constitutional monarchies, but Austria, Prussia, & Russia were still absolute monarchies.  Czar Alexander I of Russia, Emperor Francis I of Austria & King Frederick William III of Prussia formed the Holy Alliance to combat forces of revolution by basing relations with other nations on Christian principles.

8.  Metternich called for the Concert of Europe, a series of alliances, that ensured nations would come to each other’s aid if more revolutions broke out.  They wanted to quell the spirit of the French Revolution.  Although the French experiment was unsuccessful, the ideals of liberty, equality, & fraternity would not die and lead to more upheaval in 1830 & 1848.

9.  It influenced politics for the next 100 years.  France was weakened & Great Britain & Prussia were strengthened.  None of the great powers went to war against each other for the next 40 years.  Nationalism would spread in Italy, Germany, & Greece as well as in Spain’s new world colonies as many declared independence.  Similar to the United Nations (1945) today and its goal of collective security to keep the peace.