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5.9 Continuity and Change in the 18th-Century States

3 min readjanuary 24, 2023

Jillian Holbrook

Jillian Holbrook

Jillian Holbrook

Jillian Holbrook

Political Sovereignty

The French Revolution

The and challenged the different types of political sovereignty in 18th-Century States between states and individuals. In particular, the fundamentally challenged the existing European political and social order.

While revolutionary ideals like liberty, fraternity, and equality inspired some, especially the Haitians, who gained independence in the , others outwardly criticized the movement. British statesman was a prominent critic of the ; his opposition was based on the belief that the revolution was a radical and dangerous break with tradition, a threat to the established order of society, and a manipulation of the masses. Burke's opinions resonated among conservative and traditionalist circles in Britain and Europe, particularly monarchies that wanted to retain traditional authority.

Napoleon's Reign

Napoleon rose to influence under a stance of defending the ideals of the . During his reign, he imposed a variety of enduring domestic reforms, such as increasing , restoring the Catholic Church, and implementing the (also known as the ). However, to retain authority, Napoleon also relied on censorship and a secret police force to suppress opposition, consequently infringing upon the rights and freedoms of French citizens.

With new military tactics, conscription, and academies to train officers, Napoleon spread revolutionary concepts across Europe by imposing widespread French control through the . He upset Europe's balance of power, which provoked a nationalistic response to restore Europe's traditional conservative order. It took several coalitions to culminate in Napoleon's defeat, abdication, and final exile, as he managed to escape and briefly return to power in the .

Political sovereignty and government changed in Europe and France more than once during the 18th century. However, the , under the leadership of Austrian Prince Klemens von Metternich, restored the to the French throne, redesignated European borders, and suppressed liberalism and nationalism to "undo" the and bring Europe back to a balance of power from before Napoleon's conquests.

Philosophy

Romanticism

The spread of concepts and practices through application to political, social, and ethical issues led to an increased but not unchallenged emphasis on reason in European culture.

developed by marked a return to nature and the rejection of societal norms. This movement developed alongside the but in opposition to its strict rationality and the suppression of emotion in favor of reason. The Romantic movement was a reaction to the perceived excesses of the , which emphasized rationality, individualism, and progress at the expense of tradition, community, and nature. Romantic philosophers and artists rejected the 's focus on reason and science, instead celebrating the emotional, intuitive, and spiritual aspects of human experience.

Revolution, war, and rebellion demonstrated emotional power for mass politics and nationalism, which contributed to the revival of public expression.

🎥 Watch: AP Europe - French Revolution & Neoclassical Art

Key Terms to Review (18)

Bourbons

: The Bourbons were a royal family of French origin that ruled France and several other countries at different times from the 16th century until the French Revolution. They also regained power in France briefly in the 19th century.

Catholic Church Restoration

: The Catholic Church Restoration refers to efforts made during various periods throughout history aimed at restoring the authority, practices, doctrines or structures associated with Roman Catholicism after periods of decline or crisis.

Civic Literacy

: Civic literacy refers to the knowledge and skills needed to participate effectively in civic life, including understanding governmental processes and contemporary social issues.

Congress of Vienna

: The Congress of Vienna was a conference held among the major European powers from 1814-1815 to redraw the continent's political map after the defeat of Napoleonic France.

Edmund Burke

: Edmund Burke was an Irish statesman, author, and philosopher who is often considered the father of modern conservatism. He criticized the French Revolution and advocated for gradual change rather than radical reform.

Enlightenment

: The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 17th to 19th century. It emphasized reason, analysis, and individualism rather than traditional lines of authority.

French Civil Code

: Another name for the Napoleonic Code; it was a fundamental change in French law because it discarded all earlier legal systems and applied equally to all individuals regardless of status or wealth.

French Revolution

: The French Revolution was a period of radical political and societal change in France from 1789 until 1799 which led to the collapse of Bourbon monarchy and rise of radical political factions.

Haitian Revolution

: The Haitian Revolution was a successful anti-slavery and anti-colonial insurrection by self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now the sovereign nation of Haiti. It took place between 1791 and 1804.

Hundred Days' War

: The Hundred Days' War, also known as Napoleon's Hundred Days, refers to the period between Napoleon Bonaparte's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815 (a period of about 111 days). During this time, Napoleon made a bid to regain his empire but was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.

Napoleon’s reign

: Napoleon's reign refers to when Napoleon Bonaparte ruled France first as First Consul from 1799-1804 after overthrowing Directory government, then as Emperor from 1804-1814/15. His rule had significant impact on Europe through military expansion, legal reform with Napoleonic Code etc.

Napoleonic Code

: The Napoleonic Code is a civil law code established under Napoleon I in 1804. It served as the model for many later civil-law codes across numerous countries around the world.

Napoleonic Wars

: A series of major global conflicts from 1803 to 1815, led by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte against various European powers. These wars reshaped the political structure of Europe and spread revolutionary ideas across the continent.

Neoclassical Art

: Neoclassical Art is a style of art that was dominant in Europe during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It sought to revive ideals of ancient Greek and Roman art, emphasizing simplicity, symmetry, and grandeur.

Prince Klemens von Metternich

: An Austrian diplomat who was at the center of European affairs for four decades as the Austrian Empire's foreign minister from 1809 and Chancellor from 1821 until the liberal revolutions of 1848 forced his resignation.

Romanticism

: Romanticism was an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. It emphasized emotion and individualism as well as glorification of all past and nature.

Rousseau

: Jean-Jacques Rousseau was an 18th-century philosopher from Geneva, Switzerland. He is best known for his ideas about social contract and the general will, which have influenced political thought and inspired leaders of the French Revolution.

Scientific Revolution

: The Scientific Revolution was a period of significant change in thought and understanding about the physical universe during the 16th and 17th centuries. It marked a shift from religious, philosophical explanations to empirical observation and experimentation.

5.9 Continuity and Change in the 18th-Century States

3 min readjanuary 24, 2023

Jillian Holbrook

Jillian Holbrook

Jillian Holbrook

Jillian Holbrook

Political Sovereignty

The French Revolution

The and challenged the different types of political sovereignty in 18th-Century States between states and individuals. In particular, the fundamentally challenged the existing European political and social order.

While revolutionary ideals like liberty, fraternity, and equality inspired some, especially the Haitians, who gained independence in the , others outwardly criticized the movement. British statesman was a prominent critic of the ; his opposition was based on the belief that the revolution was a radical and dangerous break with tradition, a threat to the established order of society, and a manipulation of the masses. Burke's opinions resonated among conservative and traditionalist circles in Britain and Europe, particularly monarchies that wanted to retain traditional authority.

Napoleon's Reign

Napoleon rose to influence under a stance of defending the ideals of the . During his reign, he imposed a variety of enduring domestic reforms, such as increasing , restoring the Catholic Church, and implementing the (also known as the ). However, to retain authority, Napoleon also relied on censorship and a secret police force to suppress opposition, consequently infringing upon the rights and freedoms of French citizens.

With new military tactics, conscription, and academies to train officers, Napoleon spread revolutionary concepts across Europe by imposing widespread French control through the . He upset Europe's balance of power, which provoked a nationalistic response to restore Europe's traditional conservative order. It took several coalitions to culminate in Napoleon's defeat, abdication, and final exile, as he managed to escape and briefly return to power in the .

Political sovereignty and government changed in Europe and France more than once during the 18th century. However, the , under the leadership of Austrian Prince Klemens von Metternich, restored the to the French throne, redesignated European borders, and suppressed liberalism and nationalism to "undo" the and bring Europe back to a balance of power from before Napoleon's conquests.

Philosophy

Romanticism

The spread of concepts and practices through application to political, social, and ethical issues led to an increased but not unchallenged emphasis on reason in European culture.

developed by marked a return to nature and the rejection of societal norms. This movement developed alongside the but in opposition to its strict rationality and the suppression of emotion in favor of reason. The Romantic movement was a reaction to the perceived excesses of the , which emphasized rationality, individualism, and progress at the expense of tradition, community, and nature. Romantic philosophers and artists rejected the 's focus on reason and science, instead celebrating the emotional, intuitive, and spiritual aspects of human experience.

Revolution, war, and rebellion demonstrated emotional power for mass politics and nationalism, which contributed to the revival of public expression.

🎥 Watch: AP Europe - French Revolution & Neoclassical Art

Key Terms to Review (18)

Bourbons

: The Bourbons were a royal family of French origin that ruled France and several other countries at different times from the 16th century until the French Revolution. They also regained power in France briefly in the 19th century.

Catholic Church Restoration

: The Catholic Church Restoration refers to efforts made during various periods throughout history aimed at restoring the authority, practices, doctrines or structures associated with Roman Catholicism after periods of decline or crisis.

Civic Literacy

: Civic literacy refers to the knowledge and skills needed to participate effectively in civic life, including understanding governmental processes and contemporary social issues.

Congress of Vienna

: The Congress of Vienna was a conference held among the major European powers from 1814-1815 to redraw the continent's political map after the defeat of Napoleonic France.

Edmund Burke

: Edmund Burke was an Irish statesman, author, and philosopher who is often considered the father of modern conservatism. He criticized the French Revolution and advocated for gradual change rather than radical reform.

Enlightenment

: The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 17th to 19th century. It emphasized reason, analysis, and individualism rather than traditional lines of authority.

French Civil Code

: Another name for the Napoleonic Code; it was a fundamental change in French law because it discarded all earlier legal systems and applied equally to all individuals regardless of status or wealth.

French Revolution

: The French Revolution was a period of radical political and societal change in France from 1789 until 1799 which led to the collapse of Bourbon monarchy and rise of radical political factions.

Haitian Revolution

: The Haitian Revolution was a successful anti-slavery and anti-colonial insurrection by self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now the sovereign nation of Haiti. It took place between 1791 and 1804.

Hundred Days' War

: The Hundred Days' War, also known as Napoleon's Hundred Days, refers to the period between Napoleon Bonaparte's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815 (a period of about 111 days). During this time, Napoleon made a bid to regain his empire but was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.

Napoleon’s reign

: Napoleon's reign refers to when Napoleon Bonaparte ruled France first as First Consul from 1799-1804 after overthrowing Directory government, then as Emperor from 1804-1814/15. His rule had significant impact on Europe through military expansion, legal reform with Napoleonic Code etc.

Napoleonic Code

: The Napoleonic Code is a civil law code established under Napoleon I in 1804. It served as the model for many later civil-law codes across numerous countries around the world.

Napoleonic Wars

: A series of major global conflicts from 1803 to 1815, led by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte against various European powers. These wars reshaped the political structure of Europe and spread revolutionary ideas across the continent.

Neoclassical Art

: Neoclassical Art is a style of art that was dominant in Europe during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It sought to revive ideals of ancient Greek and Roman art, emphasizing simplicity, symmetry, and grandeur.

Prince Klemens von Metternich

: An Austrian diplomat who was at the center of European affairs for four decades as the Austrian Empire's foreign minister from 1809 and Chancellor from 1821 until the liberal revolutions of 1848 forced his resignation.

Romanticism

: Romanticism was an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. It emphasized emotion and individualism as well as glorification of all past and nature.

Rousseau

: Jean-Jacques Rousseau was an 18th-century philosopher from Geneva, Switzerland. He is best known for his ideas about social contract and the general will, which have influenced political thought and inspired leaders of the French Revolution.

Scientific Revolution

: The Scientific Revolution was a period of significant change in thought and understanding about the physical universe during the 16th and 17th centuries. It marked a shift from religious, philosophical explanations to empirical observation and experimentation.


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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.