Say Goodbye to Napoleon and Hello to Powerful Europeans

The essential question of the Congress of Vienna was what should people in power do when their power is threatened? We started off this lesson with the activator. Our activator was to read the background essay about the Congress of Vienna. We had to examine the essay and read about the attendees from the five different countries, the questions being addressed by the Congress of Vienna, and figure out the mood and nature of the Congress of Vienna. The attendees were all very wealthy andwere used to getting what they wanted and when they wanted it. The representatives that attend were from Austria, France, Prussia, Great Britain, and Russia. The attendee from Austria was Prince Metternich. He was elegant, sophisticated, vain, and excelled in the arts of seduction. The attendee from France was Prince Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand. Almost all accusations made against him were true and according to Madame de la Tour du Pin he was the most enchanting man she had ever known. Representing Prussia was the most volatile and hot-tempered of the attendees. Frederick William III, their king, brought one of the largest most educated and hardworking delegations. Representing Great Britain was Viscount Castlereagh. He was an unfriendly and strange gentleman who had recently caused a scandal in London.  Lastly, Tsar Alexander represented Russia. He was a man of sudden impulse and excess. According to the article, “his sexual appetites were insatiable.” These five delegates achieved what they had hoped to and the treaty was signed on June 9^th, 1815.

                                             

Scene from the Congress of Vienna.   

http://www.vienna-unwrapped.com/vienna-history/congress-of-vienna/

With Napoleon defeated, the map of Europe had to be adjusted and Metternich and the other powerful people at the Congress of Vienna had to come up with a new map that everyone agreed on. Their final decision include Balance of Power. They would bring French territory back to its boundaries as existed prior to the expansion. Prussian territory would be expanded to surround France with a stronger neighbor. Also, they would border France with the Netherlands and Austria and Russia would gain additional territory. The land redistribution between the countries will ensure Balance of power among the allies in the face of any later French expansion attempts.

I think the people at the Congress of Vienna made the right choice of ensuring a Balance of power among the five countries. I don’t think that there was a better way to react that would have served more people. They all agreed on the changes to the map and all of the changes will help protect against any future attempts at French expansion.