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The French Revolution and the Rise of Nationalism
Nationalism:
Political or social philosophy in which the welfare of the nation-state as an entity is considered
paramount. Nationalism is a collective state of mind or consciousness in which people believe their
primary duty and loyalty is to the nation-state. Often Nationalism implies national superiority and
glorifies various national virtues.
The Rise of Nationalism
The Nineteenth Century

It was in the 19th century that Nationalism became a widespread and powerful force.

During this time Nationalism expressed itself in many areas as a drive for national unification or
independence.

Nationalism inspired the German people to rise against the empire of Napoleon.

When the fragmented, smaller, Germanic states were finally unified as the German Empire in
1871, it was one highly authoritarian and militarist state.

In the latter half of the 19th century, there were strong nationalist movements among the peoples
subject to the Austrian and Ottoman empires, as there were in Ireland, and in Poland.

Nationalist conflicts had much to do with bringing on World War I.
France spread the ideas of the Revolution across Europe:
 Backed liberal reforms.
 Installed revolutionary governments:
o That abolished titles of nobility
o Ended church privileges
o Opened careers to men of talent
o Ended serfdom and manorial dues.
 Many Europeans saw the French Army as foreign oppressors.
 They Resented Napoleon’s efforts to impose French culture.
 Revolts against the French spread across Europe.
 In the German states, leaders encouraged national loyalty among German-speaking people to
counter French influence.
 In Spain, Napoleon tried to undermine the Spanish Catholic Church and placed his brother on the
throne.
 Spaniards loyal to the church and the king staged guerrilla wars against the French.
 The Congress of Vienna redrew national boundaries with no concern for national cultures.
 The Congress of Vienna created a loosely organized German Confederation with Austria as the
head.
 Germans, however, were dreaming of a strong, unified German nation. (Nationalism)
 The Concert of Europe created a peacekeeping organization that included all major European
states.
 Leaders pledged to maintain the balance of power and to suppress any uprisings inspired by the
ideas of the French Revolution.
10.2 Students compare and contrast the Glorious Revolution of England, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution and their enduring
effects worldwide on the political expectations for self-government and individual liberty. 5. Discuss how Nationalism spread across Europe with
Napoleon but was repressed for a generation under the Congress of Vienna and Concert of Europe until the Revolutions of 1848.
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Napoleon
Napoleon's conquests had the effect of stimulating nationalism in the areas he conquered, as he
rewrote their constitutions and reorganized their governments, but generally these sentiments
crystallized out of opposition to his rule. The conquered peoples of his satellite states grew restless
under his leadership, which was clearly designed to benefit France rather than Europe. In 1808, a
general rebellion began in Spain after Napoleon deposed the Bourbon Dynasty and tried to put his
brother on the thrones of Spain and Portugal. This soon developed into a hard-fought guerilla
campaign that tied up many of Napoleon's troops. In 1810, Russia withdrew from its alliance with
France. It had been terribly hurt by the Continental System, as it depended on Britain as a market for
its grain. Napoleon soon invaded Russia, in what would prove to be the worst military mistake of his
career.
Napoleon's conquest of Europe, the burdens of the Continental System, and the British blockade, and
the high taxes Napoleon levied outside of France led to resentment and resistance in many regions of
the Empire. People were becoming tired of seeing their nations used as pawns against the British.
Thus, nationalism developed in reaction to Napoleon's imperial reign.
The Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was an international conference that was called in order to remake Europe
after the downfall of Napoleon. Many territorial decisions had to be made in the conference that was
held in Vienna, Austria, from September 1814 to June 1815. Although the principle of legitimacy
(restoration of the pre-Revolutionary Monarchies) was often talked about, the main goal of the
conference was to create a balance of power that would preserve the peace.
Following the exile of Napoleon Bonaparte to Elba, the victorious Allied powers began a series of
committee sessions in Vienna to sort out the problems of Europe. The Big Four were Britain, Austria,
Prussia and Russia, although the newly royalist France was invited to join later. The key thing in the
minds of the Allies was to organize a peace that would bring stability to Europe and contain, but not
punish France. In a bid to improve the status of Louis XVIII, the Allies decided to avoid imposing
damaging reparations on France and allowed her to keep her former colonies. Within Europe, France
was forced back to her 1792 borders.
While a workable peace was the ultimate objective, the
Allies also wanted to restore the legitimate rulers of Europe
to their pre-1792 thrones - but not at the expense of
disrupting the balance of power within the continent. The
issue of minor nationalities being able to decide their own
fate was also an important consideration.
Important People:
Though the conference opened with a series of glittery balls
and conferences, the delegates soon got down to work.
Mainly, the four major powers of Europe (Austria, Russia, Prussia, and Great Britain) were left to
make most of the big decisions. Austria was represented by Prince Klemens von Metternich, the
Austrian minister of state who was also acting president of the Congress. The Russians sent
Alexander I, the emperor of Russia. The main delegate from Prussia was Prince Karl August von
Hardenberg, and Great Britain was represented by Lord Castlereagh, and later Arthur Wellesley, the
first duke of Wellingtom. This group of major powers decided that France, Spain, and the smaller
powers would have no say in important decisions. However, the French diplomat, Charles Maurice de
Talleyrand, was successful in allowing France to have an equal voice in the negotiations. Talleyrand
became the deciding vote in many of the decisions.
10.2 Students compare and contrast the Glorious Revolution of England, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution and their enduring
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effects worldwide on the political expectations for self-government and individual liberty. 5. Discuss how Nationalism spread across Europe with
Napoleon but was repressed for a generation under the Congress of Vienna and Concert of Europe until the Revolutions of 1848.
Important Decisions:
 France was deprived of all territory conquered by Napoleon
 The Dutch Republic was united with the Austrian Netherlands to form a single kingdom of the
Netherlands under the House of Orange.
 Norway and Sweden were joined under a single ruler
 Switzerland was declared neutral
 Russia got Finland and effective control over the new kingdom of Poland
 Prussia was given much of Saxony and important parts of Westphalia and the Rhine Province.
 Austria was given back most of the territory it had lost and was also given land in Germany and
Italy (Lombardia and Venice)
 Britain got several strategic colonial territories, and they also gained control of the seas.
 In place of the defunct Holy Roman Empire or its several hundred princes, the German
Confederation was created.
 France was restored under the rule of Louis XVIII.
 Spain was restored under Ferdinand VII
OUTCOMES OF THE MEETING:
The goal of the congress was to reestablish a balance of power amongst the countries of Europe and
have peace between the nations. The Congress was highly successful in achieving its goal, for the
peace in Europe was left undisturbed for almost 40 years.
More on the Concert of Europe:
The Concert of Europe was formulated in
1815 as a mechanism to enforce the decisions
of the Congress of Vienna. Composed of the
Quadruple Alliance: Russia, Prussia, Austria,
and Great Britain, its main priorities were to establish a balance of
power, thereby preserving the territorial status quo, and to protect
"legitimate" governments. Headed by Prince Metternich of Austria,
the Concert of Europe was one of the first serious attempts in
modern times to establish an international society to maintain the peace. This made it a significant
event in world history, even though it only lasted for a few decades.
Internal Uprisings
The Concert of Europe was successful in suppressing uprisings for constitutional governments in
both Spain and Italy in the respective years of 1820 and 1822. Crushing liberal forces in these two
countries proved to be positive as they enhanced the Concert's integrity by proving to the world that it
had the muscle to uphold its resolutions.
Britain Checks Out
The first major roadblock for the Concert was their decision to intervene in Latin American revolutions
and Britain’s subsequent refusal to do so. Britain reasoned that it would lose trade profit from the
Spanish if the rebellions were ended, and thus from nationalistic interest refused to cooperate.
Fortuitously, the problem was solved by the United States' issue of the Monroe Doctrine in 1820,
which prevented any European nation from gaining control of Latin America.
10.2 Students compare and contrast the Glorious Revolution of England, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution and their enduring
effects worldwide on the political expectations for self-government and individual liberty. 5. Discuss how Nationalism spread across Europe with
Napoleon but was repressed for a generation under the Congress of Vienna and Concert of Europe until the Revolutions of 1848.
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Eastern Question
Russia began to exercise her military strength during the Russo-Turkish Wars of 1828, and in 1831
when Russia defended the Ottomans from Egyptian attack. The Ottoman Empire bountifully rewarded
Russia with the Treaty of Unikar-Skelessi in 1833, which gave Russia an advantageous access to the
straits between Bosporus and Dardanelles. The Concert was angered that Russia was permitted to
use this area, and in an effort to peaceably solve the problem and curtail Russian expansionism, held
the Straits Convention of 1841. The resolution of this meeting was that no foreign warships were to
enter the Straits.
Impact of Nationalism
In the 1840s, nationalism began to assert a strong hold among many European countries, and the
Concert was unable to stop the unifications of Germany and Italy. As these two countries had shown,
Europeans were filled with a new spirit of "real politics" that was strongly nationalistic and not afraid to
use force to accomplish their goals.
Crimean War
In 1853, Russia gave up any sort of a pretense at supporting an altruistic "balance of powers" and
made an expansionary thrust at the Ottoman Empire. France and Britain, along with some aid from
Sardinia, went to war with Russia in the flimsy hope of preserving the balance of power, but in doing
so they ended up sacrificing the peace. The outbreak of this Crimean War in 1853, signified the
downfall of the Concert of Europe because the great powers were fighting against each other for
national interests.
The Treaty of Paris reached in 1856, firmly centered the great burden imposed on the almost lifeless
balance of power. Russia was no longer allowed to have their battleships in the Black Sea or in the
Straits, which left Russia with a southern border in need of defense. Now Russia was at a
disadvantage with the other powers in the Concert of Europe, and no longer motivated to uphold its
goals. Communication between the powers had reached a complete stand-still and by the end of the
treaty negotiations, the goals of the Concert lay in shattered remnants, and thus, the Concert's
function became obsolete.
10.2 Students compare and contrast the Glorious Revolution of England, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution and their enduring
effects worldwide on the political expectations for self-government and individual liberty. 5. Discuss how Nationalism spread across Europe with
Napoleon but was repressed for a generation under the Congress of Vienna and Concert of Europe until the Revolutions of 1848.
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