CCR - Conflict, Crisis, and Reaction in the Late 18th Century Module Overview
Conflict, Crisis, and Reaction in the Late 18th Century
Introduction
The late 18th century brought about a time of conflict and crisis in Europe. From an economic standpoint, the expansion of European commerce helped to grow a worldwide economic network but rivalries between the European countries also impacted diplomacy and warfare. Maritime competition continued to grow and the British domination in this area, as well as success in world wars against the French, led to the ascendancy of Britain as the dominant global power. Politically and socially, the ideals of the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment strongly influenced the political and social order of Europe.
French Revolution
The French Revolution was truly a benchmark event in European history as it brought to the surface the ideals of the Enlightenment. From the 14th through the 18th centuries Europe evolved from a system dominated by decentralized, vaguely defined states to a continent of highly centralized nations which competed with each other for territory, power, and influence. By far, the "king of the hill" was France, a nation that had gained the respect and fear of its fellow nations due largely to the unrestricted power Louis XIV had exercised during his remarkably long tenure as king. The system of absolutism in France, which by definition assumed the king to be "the state," gave no consideration whether his actions resulted in a positive impact on his people. This circumstance resulted in very few from the privileged class who benefited from the actions of the French government. Despite the economic and social hardship on the people, which was inherent in this system, they accepted their fate for centuries. Ultimately, the economic misery of the lower classes and the lack of position and recognition for the growing middle class became unbearable and unacceptable resulting in revolution.
Based on the ideals of the Enlightenment, the French Revolution sparked similar uprisings in almost every other European nation and is often seen as THE event that defines European History. Within the next several pages, we'll explore the causes of the French Revolution, trace how it began, as well as how and why it entered a radical phase. We'll evaluate the successes and failures of the Revolution and see how the actions of the people drove this revolution.
Painting - Death of Marat by Jacques Louis David. Marat was a French Revolutionary who was murdered by Charlotte Corday. Find out more about the painting and its subjects by downloading this article from Art Guides.
Napoleon & the Conservative Response.
The defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo signaled a new beginning for Europe. At the height of Napoleon's power, virtually all of Europe was subservient to him, either as territories that had become part of the Empire, nations and empires that had been defeated by Napoleon yet remained technically independent, or territories that had allied with Napoleon. Upon Napoleon's defeat, a total redrawing of the European map was necessary. The entity which was responsible for the restructuring of Europe was the Congress of Vienna, a post Napoleonic War conference, which was dominated by Britain, Russia, Austria, Prussia, and surprisingly enough France. Above all, the Congress wanted to bring peace, stabilization, and most importantly the "traditional power structure" back to Europe. However, in the post-Congress of Vienna world, stability was far from the norm. Inspired by the French Revolution and its ideals that were spread throughout Europe by Napoleon, many nations saw revolutions spring up within their borders. New ideas, collectively known as the "isms" now defined new political ideologies.
Module Lessons Preview
In this module, we will study the following topics:
- The Rise of Global Markets & Britain’s Ascendancy: Explore the causes and consequences of European maritime competition from 1648 to 1815 as well as the economic and political consequences of the rivalry between Britain and France.
- The French Revolution and its Effects: Explain the causes, events, and consequences of the French Revolution as well as how the events and developments of the French Revolution influenced political and social ideas from 1648 to 1815.
- Napoleon’s Rise, Dominance, Defeat, and the Congress of Vienna: Explain the effects of Napoleon’s rule on European social, economic, and political life and how the European states responded to his rule, including the rise of nationalism.
- Romanticism: Explain how and why the Romantic movement and religious revival challenged Enlightenment thought from 1648 to 1815.
Essential Questions
- What was the context in which the European states experienced crisis and conflict from 1648 to 1815?
- What were the causes and consequences of European maritime competition from 1648 to 1815?
- What were the economic and political consequences of the rivalry between Britain and France from 1648 to 1815?
- What were the causes, events, and consequences of the French Revolution?
- How did the events and developments of the French Revolution influence political and social ideas from 1648 to 1815?
- What were the effects of Napoleon’s rule on European social, economic, and political life?
- What were the nationalist responses to Napoleon’s rule in Europe?
- How did states respond to Napoleonic rule in Europe and what were the consequences of the response?
- How and why the Romantic Movement and religious revival challenge Enlightenment thought from 1648 to 1815?
- How did the developments and challenges to the political order result in change in the period from 1648 to 1815?
Textbook Assignment and Unit Review Form
As you work through this module, be certain to read The Eighteenth Century, French Revolution, Napoleon, and Reactionary Politics chapters in your textbook. As you are reading, you may wish to jot down notes in the unit review form. Please pay close attention to the changes instituted under Napoleon - in particular the Napoleonic code and the Concordat. Be certain to review the results of the conservative response - the Congress of Vienna will be of major importance to your studies. Make sure you know your isms! This is for your notes, not to submit.
Download a copy of the unit review form here. Links to an external site.
Key Terms and People
There are several people and items you need to look over for this module. Be sure to download the ID list (linked below) - EVEN if you do not plan on defining them for your notes. This is for your notes, not to submit. You need to look over the list of terms to see what you will need to pay particular attention to in this module.
Download a copy of the French Revolution ID List for this module here. Links to an external site.
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