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REVOLUTIONS
OF 1848
INTRODUCTION
Almost fifty revolutions occurred in this
year. In the end, they were all put down
and/or contained. Causes varied across
the Continent and included food
shortages, a depression in commerce and
industry, widespread unemployment,
nationalism, discontent among the working
classes, and the desire for more political
power by the middle class political liberals.
CENTERS OF
REVOLUTION IN
18481849 The
revolution that
toppled
the July monarchy in
Paris in 1848 soon
spread to Austria and
many of the
German and Italian
states. Yet by the end
of 1849, most of
these uprisings had
been suppressed.
FRANCE
The refusal of King Louis
Philippe and his chief
minister, Guizot, to bring
about electoral reform
sparked a revolt in Paris
on February 22, 1848.
Louis Philippe fled to
England after the revolt.
FRANCE
During the February days of the French Revolution of 1848, crowds in Paris
burned the throne of Louis Philippe.
FRANCE
A. Viva la Republic!: The revolt led to the
establishment of a provisional republic that
granted universal male suffrage. It was
led by poet, Alphonse de Lamartine.
FRANCE
B. Strange Bedfellows: The
revolutionary coalition could
not agree on a common
program. A split occurred
between the moderate, liberal
republicans represented by
Lamartine and the socialist
republicans, led by Louis
Blanc who wanted national
workshops for the
unemployed.
FRANCE
1. National Workshops were a compromise
between the socialists demand for work for all
and the moderates determination to provide
only temporary relief for the massive
unemployment.
2. Conflict between classes resulted from a fear
of socialism. The workers invaded the
Constituent Assembly and tried to proclaim a
new revolutionary government.
3. The Assembly dissolved the workshops in
May which led to a violent uprising the June
Days
FRANCE
Louis Napoleon: Class
warfare resulted in the
election of this strongman
(nephew of Napoleon I) to
the presidency in 1848.
On December 1851 he
dissolved the French
Parliament and one year
later declared himself sole
ruler as Emperor
Napoleon III.
PRUSSIA
A. Post Congress of Vienna: the Congress of
Vienna had established the German
Confederation. Liberal and nationalist
movements were circumscribed by the 1819
Carlsbad Decrees (members of the German
Confederation were required to root out
subversive ideas in their universities and
newspapers; a permanent committee of spies
was established to investigate and punish any
liberal or radical organizations.) France and
Russia encouraged rivalries among the German
States to prevent the emergence of a strong,
united nation on their borders. Prussia, under
the Hohenzollerns, took the lead in the unification
process in the German states.
PRUSSIA
PRUSSIA
B. Supporters of Unification
1. Middle Class Aspirations: wish to create a unified, liberal
Germany.
2. Working Class Aspirations: inspired by events in France: they
demanded and received a liberal constitution. However, their
demands for suffrage and socialist reforms incited fear among
the aristocracy.
3. Frankfurt National Assembly(1848): composed of middle class
liberals who began writing a constitution for a unified Germany.
4. War with Denmark: Prussia and Denmark were fighting over
the provinces of Schleswig and Holstein. The Frankfurt
Assembly was rejected by the newly-elected Frederick William
IV. This attempt at German liberalism had failed
PRUSSIA
C. a Look Backward
1640-1713 Frederick
William, the Great Elector
1713-1740 Frederick
William I
1740-1786 Frederick II
(the Great)
1786-1797 Frederick
William II
1797-1840 Frederick
William III
PRUSSIA
D. Frederick William IV (18401861) Son of Frederick William
III, he began his reign by
granting minor reforms and
promising radical changes. He
wanted to unify Germany from
above. He opposed the
popular movement of 1848, but
was forced to grant a
representative parliament in
1850. In 1857, afflicted with
insanity, he resigned the
administration to his brother.
PRUSSIA
E. Germany Before
Bismarck: In the aftermath
of 1848, the German states
were locked in a political
stalemate. Prussian Junkers
had pressed for removal of
internal tariffs. They
organized the Zollverein
(1834), a customs union
which by 1844 included most
of the German States but
excluded Austria. It became
a crucial factor in the AustroPrussian rivalry for power.