Europe Faces
Revolutions
Chapter 8
Section 2
Main Ideas
Liberal and nationalist
uprisings challenged the
old conservative order of
Europe.
The system of nationstates established in
Europe during this period
continues today.
Introduction
At the same time as the revolutions
in Latin America, Europe was also
undergoing changes.
The Congress of Vienna had tried
to restore the old monarchies and
territorial divisions that had existed
prior to the F.R.
At an international level this was a
success.
However, within countries the effort
failed.
Europe was plagued by revolutions
between 1815-1848.
Clash of Philosophies
Three schools of thought spread
through Europe in the early
1800s.
Each believed its style of
government would best serve
the people.
Each attracted a different set of
followers.
Conservative
Liberal
Radical
Conservative
Usually wealthy property
owners.
Argued for protecting the
traditional monarchies of
Europe.
Today, what political party do
we associate with conservative
beliefs?
Do conservatives today want a
lot of government involvement?
Liberal
Mostly middle-class business
leaders and merchants.
They wanted to give more power
to elected parliaments.
 Only wanted the educated and
landowners to vote.
What political party do we
associate with liberals today?
Is our current president a liberal?
Radical
Favored drastic change to
extend democracy to all
people.
They believed that
governments should practice
the ideals of the French
Revolution.



Liberty
Equality
Brotherhood
Nationalism Develops
Nationalism –
belief that
people’s
greatest loyalty
should not be to
a king or an
empire but to a
nation of people
who share a
common culture
and history.
Nation-State
Had its own independent
government.
Defends the nation’s
territory and way of life.
Represents the nation to
the rest of the world.
1815 – only France,
England and Spain were
nation-states.
Believers in Nationalism
Liberals and Radicals were
the main believers in
nationalism.
Liberal middle class –
teachers, lawyers & business
people – led the struggle for
constitutional government
and the formation of nationstates.
Germans wanted to gather
many states into one large
state.
Hungarians wanted to split
away from Austria and
establish self-rule.
Nationalists Challenge
Conservative Power
Greeks – first to win self-rule.
Greece had been part of the
Ottoman Empire.
Ottomans controlled most of
the Balkans.
 Present day Greece,
Albania, Bulgaria,
Romania, Turkey and the
former Yugoslavia.
Greeks had kept their history
and culture alive.
Demanded independence
and rebelled against the
Ottoman Turks in 1821.
The Balkans
Greeks Gain Independence
Powerful European governments
opposed revolution.
The cause of Greek independence
was popular with people.
Educated Europeans and
Americans loved and respected
Greek culture.
Britain, France and Russia took
Greece’s side and destroyed an
Ottoman fleet in 1827.
They signed a treaty guaranteeing
Greece’s freedom.
Turn to page 255 in your text
Read the paragraphs under the headings
1830s Uprisings Crushed and 1848
Revolutions Fail to Unite
Write a summary for each section.
The summary should be no more than 4
sentences each.
Pick out the most important points.
Add to your Bell Ringers.
1830s Uprisings Crushed
1. Which Belgian city did the riots break
out?
2. In ______ 1830, the Belgians declared
their independence from the Dutch.
3. Who sent Austrian troops to restore order
in Italy?
4. Who staged a revolt in Warsaw in the late
1830?
1848 Revolutions Fail to Unite
1. In what city did an unruly mob have a
clash with the police?
2. Who called for a parliament and selfgovernment in Hungary?
3. Who demanded Bohemian
independence?
4. By 1849, what had Europe practically
returned to?
Radicals Change France
Radicals participated
in many of the 1848
revolts.
Only in France was
the radical demand for
democratic
government the main
goal of the revolution.
The Third Republic
1848 - Louis Philippe,
ruler of France, fell from
popular favor.
Paris mob overturned
the monarchy &
established a republic.

Fell apart almost
immediately.
Constitution was
adopted.

Called for a parliament
and a strong president.
France Accepts a Strong Ruler
1848 - Louis-Napoleon –
nephew of Napoleon
Bonaparte – won the
presidential election.
Four years later, he took the
title Emperor Napoleon III.



Accepted without complaint.
Weary of instability.
Wanted a strong ruler.
France Prospers
Napoleon III built
railroads, encouraged
industrialization, and
promoted an ambitious
program of public
works.
Due to his policies,
unemployment
decreased and the
country prospered.
Reform in Russia
Russia was not very
industrialized yet.
Serfs still bound to land,
under the feudal system.
Czars were afraid to free
the serfs because it
would anger the
landowners.
Defeat Brings Change
Czar Nicholas I threatened to take
over part of the Ottoman Empire during
the Crimean War.
However, Russia’s industries and
transportation system failed to provide
adequate supplies for the troops.
Russia lost the war.
Alexander II, Nicholas’ son, decided
to move Russia toward modernization
and social change.
He believed his reforms would allow
Russia to compete with western
Europe for world power.
Reform and Reaction
Alexander’s reforms


Freeing the serfs – bold move
Peasant communities received about
½ the farmland in the country.
Had 49 years to repay the government.
Alexander was assassinated by
terrorists in 1881.
Alexander III continued to
encourage industrialism.
Nationalism helped drive Russia
toward industrial expansion.
Questions
1. Who did liberals want to have power in
19th century Europe?
2. Give some examples of nationalism. (2 or
more)
3. What are some key characteristics of
nationalism?
4. Describe some radical ideas of the time
period. Give examples.