The Congress of Vienna
The Relevant History
Europe after the abdication of Napoleon in March of 1814 was a very different place than
it was before the French Revolution. The Congress of Vienna assembled in September of
1814 in order to remake the continent by balancing the power structure with the goal of
preserving peace. The Congress was clearly dominated by great powers that had defeated
France: Russia, Great Britain, Prussia and Austria. France was represented Louis XVI’s
brother who had been recalled to the French throne for a lack of a more suitable candidate.
During the next nine months of wearisome negotiations, the 5 major powers (coupled
with representatives of most of the European states) hammered out a series of agreements
that were signed in Paris on June 19th, 1815 (ironically this was the day after the final
defeat of Napoleon by Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo.)
Our Job
We are going to recreate some of the intrigue, diplomacy, bullying, sabre-rattling,
alliance-making, back-stabbing, and treaty-negotiating that went on during those fateful
nine months in Vienna, Austria. During the next three periods, you will be undertaking
one of the following important roles:
1) Delegate to the Congress
2) Reporter
3) Coordinator
This simulation has been structured in such a way that all roles are equally important, and
as such, the failure of one person not to carry out their required duties can have a serious
detrimental affect on the success of our Congress. Everyone must pull his or her own
weight. This exercise can be very rewarding if done with a commitment to research,
authenticity, and most of all, fun.
Remember the goal of the Congress was to establish a workable peace in Europe.
However, this does not mean that any one country was willing to roll over and allow
other countries to dictate that peace. DO NOT LET ANYONE BOSS YOU AROUND
The Congress of Vienna
Prussian Delegation Worksheet
Group Members: _______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
Your Army: The Prussians have the best technically equipped army in Europe.
20 Infantry Units
10 Artillery Units
5 Calvary Units
Before the Congress Check List:
 Research your country’s demands:
i)
Do you want compensation (in land and/or money) for territories and men lost
fighting Napoleon? Why do you deserve this?
ii)
What was it like during the Napoleonic Era of War?
iii)
Who do we blame?
iv)
How will we ensure that there is a balance of power throughout Europe to
prevent future wars and the rise of another Napoleon?
 Consult a Post-Napoleon Map:
i)
Do you want to establish independent states?
ii)
Do you want to establish a buffer zone between and other countries?
iii)
What should the new borders of Europe look like?
 How will your proposal establish a lasting peace in Europe? Be prepared to defend this
vision with logic, reason and historically relevant proof.
 Establish your wish list:
i)
rank order what you are willing and not willing to negotiate
 Find Friends:
i)
Who will ally with you?
ii)
Can you trust them?
iii)
Should they trust you?
 Develop a Strategy?
i)
How will you see your proposals brought to light?
ii)
Are you prepared to go to war to defend your ideals?
During the Congress:
 Defend your ideals with reason, logic, and historical backing
 Adhere to protocol, but do not let another country get the better of you. Watch your back!
The Congress of Vienna
Russian Delegation Worksheet
Group Members: _______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
Your Army: The Russians have the largest land army in Europe, however, they are
poorly commanded in the field. All Russians are extremely nationalistic, and will defend
Russian soil seemingly to the death.
33 Infantry Units
5 Artillery Units
2 Calvary Units
Before the Congress Check List:
 Research your country’s demands:
v)
Do you want compensation (in land and/or money) for territories and men lost
fighting Napoleon? Why do you deserve this?
vi)
What was it like during the Napoleonic Era of War?
vii)
Who do we blame?
viii)
How will we ensure that there is a balance of power throughout Europe to
prevent future wars and the rise of another Napoleon?
 Consult a Post-Napoleon Map:
iv)
Do you want to establish independent states?
v)
Do you want to establish a buffer zone between and other countries?
vi)
What should the new borders of Europe look like?
 How will your proposal establish a lasting peace in Europe? Be prepared to defend this
vision with logic, reason and historically relevant proof.
 Establish your wish list:
ii)
rank order what you are willing and not willing to negotiate
 Find Friends:
iv)
Who will ally with you?
v)
Can you trust them?
vi)
Should they trust you?
 Develop a Strategy?
iii)
How will you see your proposals brought to light?
iv)
Are you prepared to go to war to defend your ideals?
During the Congress:
 Defend your ideals with reason, logic, and historical backing
 Adhere to protocol, but do not let another country get the better of you. Watch your back!
The Congress of Vienna
Great Britain Worksheet
Group Members: _______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
Your Army: The British have a very well trained and disciplined army. They also have
the strongest, seemingly incontestable Navy, and as such, have the ability to blockade any
country’s ports at will (essentially shutting down that country’s economy)
18 Infantry Units
8 Artillery Units
12 Calvary Units
Before the Congress Check List:
 Research your country’s demands:
ix)
Do you want compensation (in land and/or money) for territories and men lost
fighting Napoleon? Why do you deserve this?
x)
What was it like during the Napoleonic Era of War?
xi)
Who do we blame?
xii)
How will we ensure that there is a balance of power throughout Europe to
prevent future wars and the rise of another Napoleon?
 Consult a Post-Napoleon Map:
vii)
Do you want to establish independent states?
viii)
Do you want to establish a buffer zone between and other countries?
ix)
What should the new borders of Europe look like?
 How will your proposal establish a lasting peace in Europe? Be prepared to defend this
vision with logic, reason and historically relevant proof.
 Establish your wish list:
iii)
rank order what you are willing and not willing to negotiate
 Find Friends:
vii)
Who will ally with you?
viii)
Can you trust them?
ix)
Should they trust you?
 Develop a Strategy?
v)
How will you see your proposals brought to light?
vi)
Are you prepared to go to war to defend your ideals?
During the Congress:
 Defend your ideals with reason, logic, and historical backing
 Adhere to protocol, but do not let another country get the better of you. Watch your back!
The Congress of Vienna
Austrian Delegation Worksheet
Group Members: _______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
Your Army: The Austrians are below average in the field, largely due to a weak
command structure.
11 Infantry Units
7 Artillery Units
4 Calvary Units
Before the Congress Check List:
 Research your country’s demands:
xiii)
Do you want compensation (in land and/or money) for territories and men lost
fighting Napoleon? Why do you deserve this?
xiv)
What was it like during the Napoleonic Era of War?
xv)
Who do we blame?
xvi)
How will we ensure that there is a balance of power throughout Europe to
prevent future wars and the rise of another Napoleon?
 Consult a Post-Napoleon Map:
x)
Do you want to establish independent states?
xi)
Do you want to establish a buffer zone between and other countries?
xii)
What should the new borders of Europe look like?
 How will your proposal establish a lasting peace in Europe? Be prepared to defend this
vision with logic, reason and historically relevant proof.
 Establish your wish list:
iv)
rank order what you are willing and not willing to negotiate
 Find Friends:
x)
Who will ally with you?
xi)
Can you trust them?
xii)
Should they trust you?
 Develop a Strategy?
vii)
How will you see your proposals brought to light?
viii)
Are you prepared to go to war to defend your ideals?
ix)
How will you protect yourself?
During the Congress:
 Defend your ideals with reason, logic, and historical backing
 Adhere to protocol, but do not let another country get the better of you. Watch your back!
The Congress of Vienna
French Delegation Worksheet
Group Members: _______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
Your Army: Even with the defeat of Napoleon, France still has a tremendous, welltrained army. While not as effective without Napoleon, the French are still a force to be
feared on the battlefield.
20 Infantry Units
10 Artillery Units
5 Calvary Units
Before the Congress Check List:
 Research your country’s demands:
xvii) Do you want compensation (in land and/or money) for territories and men lost
fighting Napoleon? Why do you deserve this?
xviii) What was it like during the Napoleonic Era of War?
xix)
Who do we blame?
xx)
How will we ensure that there is a balance of power throughout Europe to
prevent future wars and the rise of another Napoleon?
 Consult a Post-Napoleon Map:
xiii)
Do you want to establish independent states?
xiv)
Do you want to establish a buffer zone between and other countries?
xv)
What should the new borders of Europe look like?
 How will your proposal establish a lasting peace in Europe? Be prepared to defend this
vision with logic, reason and historically relevant proof.
 Establish your wish list:
v)
rank order what you are willing and not willing to negotiate
 Find Friends:
xiii)
Who will ally with you?
xiv)
Can you trust them?
xv)
Should they trust you?
 Develop a Strategy?
x)
How will you see your proposals brought to light?
xi)
Are you prepared to go to war to defend your ideals?
During the Congress:
 Defend your ideals with reason, logic, and historical backing
 Adhere to protocol, but do not let another country get the better of you. Watch your back!
The Congress of Vienna
Co-ordinating Committee Worksheet
Group Members: _______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
Before the Congress Check List:
 Copy a map of Napoleonic Europe for each Delegation
 Establish a protocol for the Congress:
i)
What is the overall timetable for the Congress?
ii)
Who will speak first?
iii)
For how long will each delegation be allowed to speak?
iv)
How will discipline be maintained?
v)
How will disputes be handled?
 Where will the Congress be held?
ii)
How will the desks be arranged to establish fairness?
iii)
How will each delegation be identified?
 Prepare all maps, overheads, etc. that are needed for the Congress
During the Congress:
 Keep control.
 Facilitate a peaceful resolution
i)
Use a large map to help determine what is in conflict and what is resolved.
ii)
Keep the delegations speaking to each other.
The Congress of Vienna
Reporter Worksheet
Before the Congress of Vienna:
 Research the real Congress of Vienna, and write a 1-page report in newspaper
format.
 Meet with the Coordinating Committee to establish what is required of you during
the Congress.
During the Congress:
 Evaluate each delegation based on the marking scheme that you were given.
Make anecdotal remarks on the separate sheet of paper.
 Evaluate the Coordinating Committee based on the marking scheme you were
given. Make anecdotal remarks on a separate sheet paper.
 Make note on the Congress to help you write your newspaper report.
After the Congress:
 Write a 1-page report on our Congress of Vienna in newspaper format.
Websites:
http://teacherweb.ftl.pinecrest.edu/snyderd/MWH/Projects/cov/History.htm
http://www.saburchill.com/history/chapters/empires/0032f.html
http://www.victorianweb.org/history/forpol/vienna.html
http://ww2.sjc.edu/ssoucy/Resources.htm (series of links to other pages)
Metternich
http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/historical/biography/metternich.html
Talleyrand
http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/historical/biography/talleyrand.html
Castlereagh
http://www.nndb.com/people/357/000095072/
Hardenberg
http://www.nndb.com/people/046/000101740/
Delegates to the Congress
Prussian Delegation
Russian Delegation
French Delegation
Jamie A.
Ryan Pickering
Marc Reardon
Darko Boras
Rachel Griffith
Kim Bialik
Sydney Howe
Nemanja Mirkovic
Nick Hood
Brooke Sutton
Katee Spero
Caleb Rowe
Great Britain Delegation
Austrian Delegation
Nicolo Franco
Barry Daniels
Brendan Dafoe
J.C. Burgess
Paul Hickling
Taylor Sparling
Josh Millard
Adrian Mamudovski
Coordinating Committee
Safura Syed
Emma Quick
Ian Barnett
Reporters
Emily Bencze
Kieran Delaurier
Victoria Houde