The Congress of Vienna Essay Example

The Congress of Vienna Essay The Congress of Vienna was an important alliance between European nations in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Empire. In the years 1814-1815 the Congress of Vienna met to try and reorganize Europe following Napoleon’s conquests. The results were important to the future of Europe and the four main countries involved were Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain. These countries were â€Å"chiefly instrumental in the overthrow of Napoleon† and their alliance had begun with the Treaty of Chaumont in 1814 (Congress of Vienna). The Congress of Vienna began its assembly five months after the first abdication of Napoleon Bonaparte, and completed it Final Act shortly before Napoleon’s Waterloo campaign. The results of the Congress of Vienna were widespread and very important to the history of Europe. Major conflicts arose over issues relating to the claims of Sweden, Denmark, and Russia over Poland and Saxony, and the adjustments that were to be made to Germany. The major agreements were that Poland would be split apart amongst Prussia and Austria, with some cities becoming incorporated as separate kingdoms. Prussia was to guard the Rhine against France for the Netherland, and Denmark lost Norway, which became part of Sweden. Other minor changes were made, including Austria’s compensation in the form of Lombardy and Venice and a confederation was created for Germany. Switzerland was also given a new constitution. The Papal States were returned to the pope and parts of today’s Italy were given to various people. â€Å"Free navigation of international rivers and diplomatic precedence† were agreed to as well (Congress of Vienna). We will write a custom essay sample on The Congress of Vienna specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Congress of Vienna specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Congress of Vienna specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Final Act of the Congress of Vienna was to put all of the agreed upon terms into one document, which was signed in 1815, with only Spain refusing to sign because of its protest against the settlement reached as it related to Italy. The Congress of Vienna was incredibly influential in European history and the agreed upon terms were adhered to for more than 40 years. In the aftermath of the mess left by the Napoleonic Empire, the Congress of Vienna was able to make sense of the land that was left with no master and create a cohesive continent. Romanticism was an important literary and cultural movement that began around the time of the French Revolution and continuing until the coronation of Queen Victoria in England. This period saw a great many important writers come to the forefront, including Kant and Rousseau, and their ideals became important to the changing world. The main reason that Romantic writers championed feelings over reason was because their belief was that emotions were more important than reason because they could be seen as a source of creativity. As a part of nature, emotions were powerful and if tapped into could create magnificent art. The romantics emphasized intuition, creativity, and emotion far above the reason of the Age of Enlightenment. Poetry started the revolution of Romanticism and became the first vehicle by which it was brought to the forefront of society. Rousseau and Kant were two important figures in the Romantic period, especially surrounding the French Revolution. Rousseau reflected on human nature and freedom, and he stressed that all human beings had freedom and equality at birth. Kant, while dedicated more so to the reasoning of the Enlightenment, sought to prove Rousseau’s theories right in a more logical, reasonable way than Rousseau’s romantic notions. An important part of both men’s philosophy was nature and its influence on human beings. Rousseau is most known for his inspiring the French Revolution. Romanticism stressed the importance of nationalism. Religion took on new meanings during the Romantic period as well. The religion of the Reformation and the Enlightenment focused on spiritual salvation through reason and logic, something that the Romantics did not agree with. The emphasis on nature, emotion, and mysticism transferred from the literature and art of the Romantic period into the religious movement as well. The focus became the nature of the human being. This modified the ideals Europeans had about Middle Eastern religions such as Islam, because these religions had been Romantic in nature forever. It became more interesting and acceptable because of the focus on emotion and the person themselves. The Romantic period was a time of great changes in the world. Nationalism and emotion became important, while rationalism and reason were thrown by the wayside. The French Revolution had sparked a revolution in thought, ideals, and art as well, creating a different way of thinking and creating philosophers out of Rousseau and others. Many romantics were utopians who believed in something much different from the earlier Age of Reason (Brians). Works Cited Brians, Paul. Romanticism. 1 Oct. 2004. Washington State University. 31 Jan. 2007 http://www. wsu. edu:8080/~brians/hum_303/romanticism. html. Congress of Vienna. Encyclopedia Britanica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 29 Jan. 2007 http://search. eb. com/eb/article-9075297. Napoleon I of France. Wikipedia. 31 Jan. 2007