The Age of Revolutions 1830-1848
Introduction
Section 3 "The Age of Revolutions: 1830-1848" is an important part of NCERT Class 10 History. This section covers a period when liberalism and nationalism became closely connected with revolutionary movements across Europe. During these years, educated middle-class people, professors, teachers, and businessmen led uprisings in many regions including Italy, Germany, Poland, Ireland, and the Ottoman Empire provinces.
This period saw three major developments: the July Revolution in France (1830), the Greek War of Independence, and the widespread revolutions of 1848 that shook the entire European continent. Additionally, culture - through art, poetry, music, and folk traditions - played a crucial role in creating nationalist feelings. This section also explains how economic hardships led to popular revolts by workers and peasants.
In this blog post, we will cover all topics from Section 3 in very simple English, making it easy for Class 10 CBSE students to understand and remember for exams.
Table of Contents
The
Revolutionary Wave Begins (1830)
The July Revolution in France (1830)
The first major upheaval during this period took place in France in July 1830. After Napoleon's defeat in 1815, the Bourbon kings were restored to power in France. These kings represented the conservative order that tried to suppress liberal ideas.
What Happened in July 1830?
The Bourbon kings who had been restored during the conservative reaction after 1815 were overthrown
Liberal revolutionaries led the uprising
They installed a constitutional monarchy with Louis Philippe at its head
A constitutional monarchy means the king's power is limited by a constitution.
Impact Across Europe:
The Austrian Chancellor Metternich
once remarked: "When
France sneezes, the rest of Europe catches cold". This
famous quote means that events in France had a big impact on the rest of
Europe.
Belgium Breaks Away (1830)
The July Revolution in France inspired other regions.
What Happened in Belgium?
The July Revolution sparked an uprising in Brussels (capital of Belgium).
This led to Belgium breaking away from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Belgium became an independent nation.
Remember: At the Congress of Vienna (1815), Belgium had been merged with the Netherlands to create a buffer state against France. Now, just 15 years later, Belgium separated and gained independence.
The Greek War of Independence
Greece Under Ottoman Rule
Greece had been part of the Ottoman Empire since the 15th century. The Ottomans were a Muslim empire that controlled large parts of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
The Struggle Begins (1821)
The growth of revolutionary nationalism in Europe sparked a struggle for Greek independence that began in 1821.
Who Supported the Greeks?
1. Greeks Living in Exile
Many Greeks who lived in other countries supported the independence movement.
They sent money and resources to help.
2. West Europeans
Many West Europeans had sympathies for ancient Greek culture
They remembered that ancient Greece was the birthplace of democracy, philosophy, art, and literature
3. Poets and Artists
Poets and artists lauded (praised) Greece as the cradle of European civilization
They mobilized public opinion to support Greece's struggle against a Muslim empire
Lord Byron - The English Poet Who Died for Greece
One of the most famous supporters of Greek independence was the English poet Lord Byron.
What Did Lord Byron Do?
He organized funds to help the Greek cause
He went to fight in the war himself
He died of fever in 1824 while fighting in Greece
Lord Byron's sacrifice made him a hero and inspired more support for Greek independence across Europe.
Greece Becomes Independent (1832)
Finally, after years of struggle, the Treaty of Constantinople of 1832 recognized Greece as an independent nation.
This was a significant victory for nationalism and showed that people fighting for their freedom could succeed even against powerful empires.
The Making of Nationalism in Europe - Complete Class 10 CBSE Notes.
The Romantic Imagination and National Feeling
Culture and Nationalism
The development of nationalism did not come about only through wars and territorial expansion. Culture played an important role in creating the idea of the nation.
How Did Culture Help?
Art and poetry helped express and shape nationalist feelings.
Stories and music created emotional connections with the nation.
What Was Romanticism?
Romanticism was a cultural movement that sought to develop a particular form of nationalist sentiment.
What Did Romantic Artists Believe?
Romantic artists and poets:
Criticized the glorification of reason and science
Focused on emotions, intuition, and mystical feelings
Wanted to create a sense of a shared collective heritage
Believed in a common cultural past as the basis of a nation
Example - Eugene Delacroix:
The French painter Delacroix created a huge painting called "The Massacre
at Chios" (1824). This painting showed an incident where 20,000 Greeks
were killed by Turks on the island of Chios. By focusing on the suffering of
women and children and using vivid colors, Delacroix tried to create sympathy
for the Greeks and appeal to people's emotions.
Johann Gottfried Herder and Folk Culture
Johann Gottfried Herder (1744-1803) was a German philosopher and an important Romantic thinker.
Herder's Beliefs:
He claimed that true German culture was to be discovered among the common people (das volk)
The true spirit of the nation (volksgeist) was found in folk songs, folk poetry, and folk dances
Collecting and recording these forms of folk culture was essential to nation-building
Why Was This Important?
It showed that the nation's culture came from ordinary people, not just kings and nobles.
It gave people pride in their traditions.
The Grimm Brothers and German Folktales
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were two brothers born in the German city of Hanau in 1785 and 1786.
Their Work:
While both studied law, they soon developed an interest in collecting old folktales
They spent six years traveling from village to village
They talked to people and wrote down fairy tales that were handed down through generations.
In 1812, they published their first collection of tales
These tales were popular among both children and adults
Why Did They Collect Folktales?
The Grimm brothers saw French domination as a threat to German culture
They believed the folktales they collected were expressions of a pure and authentic German spirit
They considered collecting folktales and developing the German language as part of the effort to oppose French domination and create a German national identity
Other Work:
Both brothers became active in liberal politics
They supported the movement for freedom of the press
They published a 33-volume dictionary of the German language
Language as a Tool of Nationalism - The Polish Example
The Case of Poland:
Poland had been partitioned
at the end of the 18th century by Russia, Prussia, and Austria.
This means Poland was divided among these three powerful countries and no longer existed as an independent
territory.
How Were National Feelings Kept Alive?
Even though Poland did not exist as a country, national feelings were kept alive through music and language.
Music:
Karol Kurpinski celebrated the national struggle through his operas and music
He turned folk dances like the polonaise and mazurka into nationalist symbols
Language:
After Russian occupation, the Polish language was forced out of schools
The Russian language was imposed everywhere
The Armed Rebellion of 1831:
In 1831, an armed rebellion against Russian rule took place
It was ultimately crushed by Russian forces
Language as Resistance:
Following the failed rebellion, many members of the clergy in Poland began to use language as a weapon of national resistance
Polish was used for Church gatherings and all religious instruction
As a result, many priests and bishops were put in jail or sent to Siberia by Russian authorities as punishment for refusing to preach in Russian
The use of Polish came to be seen as a symbol of struggle against Russian dominance
This shows how language became a powerful tool for preserving national identity and resisting foreign rule.
Hunger, Hardship and Popular Revolt
Economic Crisis in the 1830s
The 1830s were years of great economic hardship in Europe.
Population Growth:
The first half of the 19th century saw an enormous increase in population all over Europe
In most countries, there were more seekers of jobs than employment
Rural to Urban Migration:
Population from rural areas migrated to cities
They lived in overcrowded slums
Competition from English Goods:
Small producers in towns faced stiff competition from imports of cheap machine-made goods from England
Industrialization was more advanced in England than on the continent
This was especially true in textile production
Peasants' Struggles:
In regions where the aristocracy still enjoyed power, peasants struggled under the burden of feudal dues and obligations
Food Prices and Poverty:
The rise of food prices or a year of bad harvest led to widespread pauperism (extreme poverty) in town and country
The Crisis Year: 1848
1848 was a particularly bad year.
What Happened in Paris?
Food shortages and widespread unemployment brought the population of Paris out on the roads
Barricades were erected (people built barriers in streets)
Louis Philippe was forced to flee
A National Assembly proclaimed a Republic
They granted suffrage to all adult males above 21
They guaranteed the right to work
National workshops were set up to provide employment
The Silesian Weavers' Uprising (1845)
Before 1848, there had been other revolts. One important example was the Silesian weavers' revolt in 1845.
Who Were the Silesian Weavers?
Weavers in Silesia (a region in Germany)
Cotton weaving was the most widespread occupation in these villages with 18,000 inhabitants
The Problem:
Weavers worked for contractors who supplied them raw material and gave orders for finished textiles
The contractors drastically reduced their payments
The misery of the workers was extreme
Contractors took advantage of the desperate need for jobs to reduce prices
What the Weavers Did (June 4):
A large crowd of weavers marched to the mansion of their contractor demanding higher wages
They were treated with scorn and threats
A group forced their way into the house
They smashed elegant window-panes, furniture, and porcelain
Another group broke into the storehouse and plundered cloth, tearing it to shreds
The Result:
The contractor fled with his family
He returned 24 hours later with the army
In the exchange that followed, eleven weavers were shot
This uprising shows how economic hardship led to violent protests by workers.
1848: The Revolution of the Liberals
A Year of Multiple Revolutions
1848 was a year of revolutions across Europe.
There were two types of revolts happening simultaneously:
1. Revolts of the poor, unemployed, and starving peasants and workers
2. Revolution led by the educated middle classes
The Middle-Class Liberal Revolution
What Triggered It?
Events of February 1848 in France brought about the abdication (stepping down) of the monarch
A republic based on universal male suffrage was proclaimed
Where Did It Spread?
In regions where independent
nation-states did not yet exist – such as Germany, Italy,
Poland, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
What Did They Want?
Men and women of the liberal middle classes combined their demands for constitutionalism with national unification
They took advantage of growing popular unrest to push for creation of a nation-state on parliamentary principles
They wanted:
A constitution
Freedom of the press
Freedom of association
The Frankfurt Parliament (Germany, 1848)
Formation:
In German regions, many political associations came together
Members were middle-class professionals, businessmen, and prosperous artisans
They met in the city of Frankfurt
They decided to vote for an all-German National Assembly
The Historic Day - May 18, 1848:
831 elected representatives marched in a festive procession to take their places in the Frankfurt parliament
The parliament was convened in the Church of St Paul
What Did They Do?
They drafted a constitution for a German nation
The nation would be headed by a monarchy subject to a parliament
They offered the crown on these terms to Friedrich Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia
The Failure:
King Friedrich Wilhelm IV rejected the crown
He joined other monarchs to oppose the elected assembly
The opposition of the aristocracy and military became stronger
The social basis of parliament eroded (weakened)
The parliament was dominated by the middle classes who resisted demands of workers and artisans
They consequently lost their support
Troops were called in and the assembly was forced to disband
Women and the Frankfurt Parliament
Women's Participation:
The issue of extending political rights to women was controversial within the liberal movement
Large numbers of women had participated actively in liberal movements over the years
Women had:
Formed their own political associations
Founded newspapers
Taken part in political meetings and demonstrations
The Discrimination:
Despite their active participation, women were denied suffrage rights during the election of the Assembly
When the Frankfurt parliament convened, women were admitted only as observers to stand in the visitors' gallery
They could not be elected as members
Different Views on Women's Rights:
The NCERT textbook presents three different viewpoints:
1. Carl Welcker (Liberal
Politician):
He believed men and women have different natural functions - men for public
tasks, women for home and family care. He thought equality between sexes would
endanger harmony.
2. Louise Otto-Peters (Feminist
Activist):
She founded a women's journal and argued that liberty is indivisible - free men
must not tolerate being surrounded by the unfree. She questioned why efforts
for liberty were only for men.
3. Anonymous Reader:
This person argued it was ridiculous to deny women political rights when they
owned property and performed important functions. They questioned why even
uneducated men had voting rights but educated, property-owning women did not.
Impact of 1848 Revolutions
Short-term Result:
Conservative forces were able to suppress liberal movements in 1848
Long-term Impact:
They could not restore the old order completely
Monarchs began to realize that cycles of revolution and repression could only be ended by granting concessions to liberal-nationalist revolutionaries
In years after 1848, autocratic monarchies of Central and Eastern Europe began introducing changes that had already happened in Western Europe before 1815
Specific Changes:
Serfdom and bonded labor were abolished in Habsburg dominions and Russia
Habsburg rulers granted more autonomy to the Hungarians in 1867
Key Events Timeline: 1830-1848
|
Year |
Event |
Significance |
|
1821 |
Greek struggle for independence begins |
First major nationalist movement against Ottoman Empire |
|
1824 |
Lord Byron dies in Greece |
English poet's sacrifice inspired European support for Greece |
|
July 1830 |
July Revolution in France |
Bourbon kings overthrown; constitutional monarchy established |
|
1830 |
Belgium breaks away from Netherlands |
Inspired by French July Revolution |
|
1831 |
Polish armed rebellion against Russia |
Crushed but led to language being used as resistance |
|
1832 |
Treaty of Constantinople |
Greece recognized as independent nation |
|
1845 |
Silesian weavers' uprising |
Economic hardship led to workers' revolt |
|
1848 |
Food crisis and revolutions across Europe |
Multiple uprisings by both poor workers and middle classes |
|
May 18, 1848 |
Frankfurt Parliament convened |
831 representatives drafted German constitution |
Summary Points
The July Revolution of 1830 in France overthrew the Bourbon kings and established a constitutional monarchy with Louis Philippe
Metternich said "When France sneezes, the rest of Europe catches cold," showing France's influence
The July Revolution sparked an uprising in Brussels that led to Belgium's independence from Netherlands
The Greek War of Independence began in 1821 against the Ottoman Empire
Greeks received support from Greeks in exile and West Europeans who admired ancient Greek culture
Lord Byron organized funds and died fighting for Greek independence in 1824
The Treaty of Constantinople (1832) recognized Greece as an independent nation
Culture played an important role in nationalism through art, poetry, stories, and music
Romanticism was a cultural movement focusing on emotions and mystical feelings rather than reason
Johann Gottfried Herder believed true German culture was found among common people (das volk)
The Grimm Brothers collected folktales to preserve German culture and oppose French domination
In Poland, language became a weapon of resistance; Polish was used in churches against Russian rule
After 1831 rebellion, many Polish priests were jailed for refusing to preach in Russian
The 1830s saw great economic hardship with population growth, unemployment, and food shortages
The Silesian weavers' uprising (1845) occurred when contractors reduced payments drastically
1848 was a crisis year with food shortages and unemployment bringing people onto the streets
In France, Louis Philippe was forced to flee; a republic with universal male suffrage was proclaimed
The Frankfurt Parliament (May 1848) had 831 elected representatives who drafted a German constitution
King Friedrich Wilhelm IV rejected the crown offered by the Frankfurt Parliament
Women participated actively but were denied voting rights and could only observe parliament
The 1848 revolutions failed in the short term but led to abolition of serfdom and gradual reforms
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What was the July Revolution of
1830?
The July Revolution took place in France in July 1830 when liberal
revolutionaries overthrew the Bourbon kings and established a constitutional
monarchy with Louis Philippe as the head.
Q2: Why did Belgium become
independent in 1830?
The July Revolution in France inspired an uprising in Brussels, which led to
Belgium breaking away from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Q3: When did the Greek War of
Independence begin and end?
The Greek struggle for independence began in 1821 and ended when the Treaty of
Constantinople recognized Greece as an independent nation in 1832.
Q4: Who was Lord Byron and what did
he do for Greece?
Lord Byron was an English poet who organized funds for Greek independence and
went to fight in the war himself. He died of fever in Greece in 1824.
Q5: What was Romanticism and how did
it help nationalism?
Romanticism was a cultural movement that focused on emotions and feelings. It
helped nationalism by creating a sense of shared cultural heritage through folk
songs, poetry, art, and stories.
Q6: Who were the Grimm Brothers and
why were they important?
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm collected German folktales by traveling from village to
village. They believed these tales expressed a pure German spirit and helped
oppose French domination and create German national identity.
Q7: How did language become a tool
of resistance in Poland?
After Russian occupation forced Polish out of schools, Polish clergy used
Polish in church gatherings. Many priests were jailed for refusing to preach in
Russian. The use of Polish became a symbol of struggle against Russian
dominance.
Q8: What caused economic hardship in
the 1830s and 1840s?
Population growth led to unemployment, rural people migrated to overcrowded
cities, small producers faced competition from cheap English goods, peasants
struggled under feudal dues, and food prices rose causing widespread poverty.
Q9: What was the Silesian weavers'
uprising?
In 1845, weavers in Silesia revolted against contractors who had drastically
reduced their payments. They destroyed the contractor's house and plundered his
storehouse. The army was called in and 11 weavers were shot.
Q10: What was the Frankfurt
Parliament?
On May 18, 1848, 831 elected representatives met in Frankfurt's Church of St
Paul to draft a constitution for a unified Germany. They offered the crown to
the King of Prussia, but he rejected it. The assembly was eventually disbanded.
Q11: What role did women play in
1848 revolutions?
Women formed political associations, founded newspapers, and participated in
meetings and demonstrations. However, they were denied voting rights and could
only observe the Frankfurt Parliament, not participate as elected members.
Q12: Did the 1848 revolutions
succeed?
In the short term, they failed as conservative forces suppressed them. However,
in the long term, they led to important changes like abolition of serfdom in
Habsburg dominions and Russia, and monarchs began granting concessions to avoid
future revolutions
You now have complete NCERT-based notes on Section 3: "The Age of Revolutions: 1830-1848" in very simple English! This section is crucial for understanding how nationalism spread through political revolutions, cultural movements, and economic struggles.
Practice NCERT textbook questions. For more Class 10 History notes and exam materials, bookmark this page and share with your classmates. If you have doubts about any topic, comment below. All the best for your board exams!
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