1 / 12

The 1848 Revolutions in the German States

The 1848 Revolutions in the German States . Prussia. King Frederick William IV – ruled 1840-1861 Autocratic ruler of Prussia Loyalty to Habsburg royal family and Austria 1847 – Summoned Prussian Landtag (the United Diet) to discuss liberal reforms to the budget/law making

ocean
Download Presentation

The 1848 Revolutions in the German States

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The 1848 Revolutions in the German States

  2. Prussia • King Frederick William IV – ruled 1840-1861 • Autocratic ruler of Prussia • Loyalty to Habsburg royal family and Austria • 1847 – Summoned Prussian Landtag (the United Diet) to discuss liberal reforms to the budget/law making • King refused to yield any power • March 1848 – Demonstrations in Berlin – triggered by demonstrations in France against monarchy • King’s troops attempted to break up the demonstration with violence • King ordered troops to leave Berlin

  3. May 1848 – King agreed to the formation of a constituent assembly • Liberal representatives • Nov 1848 – King used force to take back Berlin and to disperse the assembly • Dec 1848 – Frederick created own constitution • Bicameral legislature • Lower House – elected by universal manhood suffrage – wealthy votes weighted more to protect conservative interests • Upper House – reps appointed by the king

  4. Austria • King Ferdinand I – Habsburg monarchy • Multinational / multiethnic empire • Germans, Magyars, Czechs, Poles, Rumanians, Croats • 1848 – Louis Kossuth led movement in Budapest, Hungary – called for constitution for Hungary • Demanded political autonomy • 1848 – Student movement in Vienna, Austria • Demanded free speech, free press

  5. March 1848 – Austrian army used force against student demonstration • Ferdinand called off army and removed army from Vienna • Allowed for more liberal constitution • Metternich resigned position and fled to London • Revolts in Vienna and Lombardy (Italian provinces) • Austrian army used to suppress uprisings • March 1848 - Hungarian parliament – adopted March Laws giving Hungary virtual autonomy • Removed labor tax for the peasantry

  6. Ferdinand – gave in to the demands of the liberals in Vienna and Budapest • Austrian army occupied in Italian provinces • Prague (Bohemia) – Czechs demanded constitution allowing for greater autonomy – like Hungary • Pan Slav Congress called to discuss political position of Slavic people in Austrian Empire

  7. Vienna, Austria – new constitution adopted • Peasant labor tax removed • Austrian army continued to remain loyal to royal family • Austrian army used to put down rebellion in Prague • Pan Slav Congress dissolved • Oct 1848 – army took back Vienna and ended liberal rebellion • Dec 1848 – Ferdinand abdicated throne in favor of Francis Joseph (son) • More conservative

  8. January 1849 – Austrian army invaded Hungary to end rebellion • Defeated • Tsar Nicholas I of Russia – invaded Hungary in support of Austria and to prevent rebellion in Poland • Hungarian forces defeated • Francis Joseph – more autocratic over empire once rebellions defeated to secure power • Liberalism = revolution • Austrian Constitutional Assembly dissolved and the draft constitution destroyed

  9. The Frankfurt Parliament • Revolutions occurred in most German states • Liberal ministers occupied positions of power in most German state govts • Elections called for an All German National Parliament • Elected by universal manhood suffrage • Inspired by nationalism movement in Europe • Wanted to discuss German unification • May 1848 – 830 elected delegates met at Frankfurt (Free City) • Liberal university educated professional – professors, doctors, lawyers

  10. Drafted the Fundamental Rights of German People – statement of the liberal rights of German citizens • Free speech, press, religion • March 1849 – Drafted constitution for new unified Germany • Debate over unification • Kleindeutsch – “Small Germany” – Prussia and smaller German states • Grossdeutsch – “Large Germany” – Include Austria but not non-German Austrian territory • Francis Joseph I not interested in joining – removed delegates

  11. Kleindeutsch faction gained momentum after removal of Austrian delegates • Remaining delegates offer Crown of Germany to Frederick of Prussia • Refused • Prussian delegates withdrawn • Frankfurt Parliament moved to Stuttgart • Prussia used army to suppress uprisings in Saxony • June 1849 – FP disbanded – no support from Prussia and Austria

  12. Austria vs. Prussia • 1849-1850 • 1849 – King Frederick William IV – began to lobby other German states to create a formal union of German states with the exclusion of Austria • Make the Zollverein a political union in addition to an economic union (the Erfurt Union) • 1850 – Austria opposed Prussia’s attempt at breaking up the German Confederation • Threatened the use of force • Able to threaten Prussia after internal rebellions dealt with • Nov. 1850 – Agreement of Olmütz(“the Humiliation of Olmütz) • Prussia stopped attempting to reorganize the German States in the Erfurt Union – Prussian nationalists hated it • German Confederation re-established with Austria recognized as the primary member

More Related