The Revolutions of 1848

A wave of liberal, nationalist and social uprisings that swept across Europe within a few months.

Background

Harvest failures and economic hardship in the mid-1840s coincided with demands for constitutions, press freedom, national unification and better conditions for workers. The conservative order set up after 1815 seemed increasingly out of touch.

Course of events

Revolution began in Paris in February 1848 and the Second Republic was proclaimed. Uprisings soon followed in the German states, the Austrian Empire, Hungary, Bohemia and the Italian states. In Frankfurt, delegates met in a national parliament to plan a united Germany.

Legacy

By 1849 most revolts had been defeated or had failed to hold together. Yet serfdom ended in the Habsburg lands, several states gained constitutions, and the movements for national unity in Germany and Italy continued to grow.