Shaping Modern Europe: Alliances, Unification, and Industry

Post-Napoleonic Europe and the Concert of Europe

Balance of Powers

The primary objective of the Quadruple Alliance, which sought to ensure that no single state could dominate others in economic or political power. The members included:

• Great Britain
• Russia
• Prussia
• Austria

Holy Alliance

A union of Christian monarchies based on an idea by Tsar Alexander I. Its main objective was to combat revolutionary movements, upholding the principle of legitimacy. The alliance represented different branches of Christianity:

• Russia: Orthodox
• Prussia: Protestant
• Austria: Catholic

Quadruple Alliance

An alliance formed by the victors of the Napoleonic Wars. Its objectives were to re-establish the balance of power and prevent France from restoring its hegemony. Great Britain was particularly favored by this arrangement, as it secured a period of peace.

Key Figures of the Era

Klemens von Metternich

An Austrian prince and statesman who aimed to preserve the preeminence of the Austrian state in Central Europe and expand its influence over the Balkans.

Alexander I

The Russian tsar who conceived the idea of forming the Holy Alliance to promote Christian principles in international affairs.

The Age of National Unification

Italian Unification

Camillo di Cavour

The prime minister of Sardinia-Piedmont who traveled to France to convince Napoleon III to aid in the unification of Italy.

Vittorio Emanuele II

The king of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont. A moderate liberal, his prime minister was Camillo di Cavour, and he became the first king of a unified Italy.

Plombières Agreement

The secret agreement resulting from the meeting where Cavour convinced Napoleon III to support Sardinia-Piedmont in a war against Austria.

German Unification

Otto von Bismarck

The chancellor under King William I of Prussia during the German unification. His mastery of military strategy and diplomacy allowed Prussia to win decisive battles, such as Sadowa and Sedan.

Battle of Sadowa (1866)

A decisive battle between Prussia and Austria. The Prussian victory led to the formation of the North German Confederation and the annexation of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein.

Battle of Sedan (1870)

A pivotal battle between Prussia and France. The Prussian victory resulted in the defeat and capture of Napoleon III, the collapse of the Second French Empire, and the formation of the French Third Republic.

The Industrial Revolution and New Systems

Key Inventions and Innovators

James Watt

The inventor who significantly improved the steam engine during the First Industrial Revolution. This engine worked by using steam generated from water boiled with coal.

Edmund Cartwright

The inventor of the power loom during the First Industrial Revolution, a machine that mechanized the process of weaving cloth.

George Stephenson

An English engineer who invented the first practical steam-powered locomotive, revolutionizing transportation.

Henry Cort and the Puddling Process

A new method invented by Henry Cort to produce higher-quality iron that was more resistant and free from impurities.

New Methods of Production and Business

The Factory System

A new, more impersonal method of work where numerous workers gathered in a single location. The work schedule was dictated by production demands rather than traditional rhythms.

Fordism

A system of work pioneered by Henry Ford, notable for introducing the moving assembly line to achieve mass production.

The Corporation

A new type of business entity in which capital is shared among investors (shareholders). The legal responsibility for its actions and debts lies with the corporation itself, not with the individuals who provide the capital.