V. Napoleon’s Legacy Napoleon’s empire had spread key revolutionary legislation throughout Europe. The idea of equality under the law and the attack on privileged institutions such as nobility and the church.

The European allies who had brought the proud French emperor down met at Vienna in 1815 to reach a peace settlement that would make further revolution impossible. The diplomats at the Congress of Vienna did not try to punish France too sternly, but new boundary lines were drawn.

Prussia gained land in Germany and Britain gained new colonial territories. Russia gained new landholdings with the addition of land in Poland. These new territorial adjustments kept Europe fairly stable for almost half a century.

Napoleon’s legacy came through political thought. After Napoleon’s defeat a growing movement of conservatives in Europe, who defined themselves in opposition to revolutionary goals became more vocal. They were determined to stop Napoleon’s ideas from becoming law throughout Europe.

But political movements arose to challenge conservatism But political movements arose to challenge conservatism. Liberals focused primarily on issues of political structure. They looked for ways to limit state interference in individual life and urged representation of property owning people in government.

Liberals also spoke of the importance of constitutional rule and protection for freedoms of religion, press, and assembly. Largely representing the growing middle class, many liberals also sought economic reforms, including better education, which would promote industrial growth.

The Radicals The radicals accepted the importance of most liberal demands, but they also wanted wider voting rights. Radicals urged social reforms in the interest of the lower classes. Some even wanted socialism and the end to private ownership of land.

Revolutions broke out in several places in 1820 and again in 1830. The 1820 revolts involved a nationalist Greek Revolution against Ottoman rule – a key step in the gradual dismantling of the Ottoman Empire.

Another French revolution in 1830 replaced Louis XVIII with a more liberal monarchy. Uprisings also occurred in key states in Italy and Germany, the Belgium Revolution of 1830 produced a liberal regime and a newly independent nation.

Britain and the United States also participated in the process of political change, though without revolution. The United States during the 1820s granted universal adult male suffrage (except for slaves) which led to the election of a popular president, Andrew Jackson in 1828.

By the 1830s, regimes in France, Britain, Belgium, and several other countries had solid parliaments, some guarantees for individual rights, religious freedom not only for various Christian sects but also for Jews, and voting systems (some with universal male suffrage).