1. The Revolutions Of 1848 Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY “The Springtime of Peoples”

2. Pre-1848 Tensions: Long-Term GIndustrialization GPopulation doubled in the 18 c  Food supply problems  Malthus GIdeological Challenges GRomanticism GRepressive Measures

3. Pre-1848 Tensions: Short-Term GAgricultural Crises  Poor cereal harvests prices rose 60% in one year.  Potato blight  Ireland Prices rose 135% for food in one year! GFinancial Crises Working & middle classes are now joined in misery as are the urban and agricultural peasantry!

4. No Coherent Organized Revolutions GMany different reasons for revolutionary activities. GCompeting ideologies in different countries. GDifferent revolutionary leaders, aims, and goals in different countries. GSome countries had no revolutions:  England.  Russia.

5. FRANCE

6. The February Revolution GWorking class & liberals unhappy with King Louis Philippe, esp. with his minister, Francois Guizot [who opposed electoral reform]. GReform Banquets used to protest against the King.  Paris Banquet banned.  Troops open fire on peaceful protestors.  Barricades erected; looting.  National Guard [politically disenfranchised] defects to the radicals.  King Louis Philippe loses control of Paris and abdicates on February 24.

7. Alphonse Lamartine GDeclared a new Provisional Government.  Conservatives & liberals are suspicious of republicanism Reminiscent of the Reign of Terror.

8. The Coalition Splits: Mar.-May GThe conflicts between liberals & socialists GGrowing social tensions between the working class & the bourgeois middle class April Elections GResulted in a conservative majority in the National Assembly. GThe conservative majority wanted the removal of radicals like Blanc from the government.

9. The “ June Days ” GWorker groups in Paris rose up in insurrection.  Barricades in the streets. Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables was based on this event. GA new liberal-conservative coalition formed to oppose this lower class radicalism.

10. Paris: To the Barricades Again!

11. The 2 nd French Republic ( 1848-1852 ) GGeneral Louis Cavaignac assumed dictatorial powers & crushed the revolt.  10,000 dead.  A victory for conservatives. GNov., 1848  a new constitution provided for:  An elected President.  A one-house legislature. The Republic by Jean-Leon Gerome

12. President Louis Napoleon GThe December election:  The “law and order” candidate, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, defeated Cavaignac.  This was a big shift in middle class opinion to the right! GThe New President:  Purged the govt. of all radical officials. Replaced them with ultra-conservative and monarchists.  Disbanded the National Assembly and held new elections. Represented himself as a “Man of the People.”  His government regularly used forced against dissenters.

13. 1851 Coup d ’ Etat GPresident Louis Napoleon declared a hereditary 2 nd French Empire.

14. The HAPSBURG EMPIRE

15. The Austrian Empire: 1830

16. GThe nature of the Austrian Empire:  Very conservative monarchy GCulturally and racially heterogeneous. GSocial reliance on serfdom dooms masses of people to a life without hope. GCorrupt and inefficient. GCompetition with an increasingly powerful Prussia. Ferdinand I (1793-1875) Therefore, the Empire was vulnerable to revolutionary challenges.

17. GThe “February Revolution” in France triggered a rebellion for liberal reforms. GMarch 13  rioting broke out in Vienna.  The Austrian Empire collapsed. Metternich fled. Serfdom [robot] abolished.  The revolution began to wane. Vienna, 1848: The Liberal Revolution

18. The New Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I [r. 1848-1916]

19. The Hungarian Revolution

20. Lajos Kossuth (1802-1894) GHungarian revolutionary leader. GMarch laws provided for Hungarian independence. GAustrian & Russian armies defeated the Hungarian army. GHungary would have to wait for autonomy until 1866

21. Tsar Nicholas I (r. 1825-1855) GHe raised an army of 400,000 in response to a request from Franz Joseph.  140,000 put down the Hungarian revolt.

22. Bohemia,1848 aka Czechoslovakia GBohemia was split between Pan-Slavs & Pan-Germans. GPrague Conference:  Developed the idea of Austro-Slavism. GThe Austrian military ultimately attacked Prague, occupied Bohemia & crushed the rebellion. The Prague Barricades

23. Italy

24. Upheaval in Italy, 1848 GItalian nationalists and liberals sought to end foreign domination of Italy. GBeginning in May, revolutions suppressed.

25. Italy, 1848 GGiuseppe Mazzini established a Roman Republic in 1849 protected by Giuseppe Garibaldi. GPope Pius IX forced to flee. GAustrian General Radetsky crushed Sardinia-Piedmont. GFrench troops take back the Papal States. GVictor Emmanuel II takes the throne in Sardinia-Piedmont.

26. Reasons for Failure in Italy GRural people did not support the revolutions. GThe revolutionaries were not united. GLack of leadership and administrative experience among the revolutionaries.

27. The German States

28. GMad as a hatter! GAnti-liberal, but an ‘Arthurian’ medieval romantic. GPrussia in the mid-19 c :  Efficient.  Good economy.  Strong military. Frederick William IV of Prussia ( 1840-1861 )

29. The Germans Follow the French GAfter the February French revolutions, there were many riots in minor German states. GAustria and Prussia expected to intervene to crush these revolts, BUT:  Vienna Revolution  led to the fall of Metternich.  Berlin riots * King Frederick William IV withdraws the troops and hand the Prussia liberals a big victory

30. The Frankfurt Assembly GGerman liberals are overjoyed! GGerman National Assembly established in Frankfurt:  Liberal reforms

31. The “ Three Germanies ”

32. Prussian Resurgence GThe Prussian army moved to crush the new Polish Grand Duchy. GThe Prussian parliament disagreed with the Frankfurt Parliament. GThe Prussian army invaded Schleswig-Holstein (at Frankfurt’s request).  Britain & Russia threatened war with Prussia.  Prussia agreed to its own peace with Denmark. The Prussian army abandoned the Frankfurt government.

33. Austria & Prussia Reassert Control GAustria re-gained control of Vienna. GFrederick William deposed the Berlin parliament. GThe Frankfurt Assembly offered the emperorship to Frederick William.  He declined.  Radicals took to the barricades again.  The Prussian army crushed all resistance.  April, 1849  the Assembly collapsed.

34. A New German Confederation GFrederick William IV of Prussia was still interested in ruling a united Germany. G1850  the German Confederation was re-established at Olmutz. GBut, Frederick was forced to accept Austrian leadership of Central Europe.

35. Liberalism Discredited in Germany GLittle popular support. GThe union of liberals and democrats didn’t last. GRule of force was the only winner! GThere was a massive exodus of liberal intelligentsia.

36. 1848: Outside the Continent

37. GThe Movement reached its height with the Kennington Common demonstration on April 10, 1848. GThis could have been the prelude to revolution in Britain, but the meeting was peaceful. GThe Chartist leaders did not follow up on the meeting, and the movement died. Chartist Meeting, 1848

38. Seneca Falls Convention, NY Women’s rights convention – didn’t mention voting rights-

39. THE AFTERMATH

40. The Communist Manifesto Karl Marx Friedrich Engels

41. Why did the 1848 Revolutions Fail ? GThey failed to attract popular support from the working classes. GThe middle classes led these revolutions, but as they turned radical, the middle class held back. GNationalism divided more than united. GWhere revolutions were successful, the Old Guard was left in place and they turned against the revolutionaries. GSome gains lasted [abolition of serfdom, etc.] GBUT, in the long term, most liberal gains would be solidified by the end of the 19 c :  The unification of Germany and Italy.  The collapse of the Hapsburg Empire at the end of World War I.

42. The Bottom Line GIt looked like the Conservative forces had triumphed. GBUT…  Things had changed forever.  Economic/social problems continued to be constant challenges to the ruling order.  Conservatives would have to make concessions in order to stay in power.  Many of the limited Liberal achievements remained permanent.

43. Some Bibliographic Sources G“The Revolutions of 1848” by R. Folmer. St. Joseph’s H. S. (PPT). G“The Revolutions of 1848” by Stephen Luscombe. (PPT).