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Balance of Power
The Congress of Vienna meet in 1814 to create the Balance of Powers. The idea is that national security is enhanced when military capabilities are distributed so that no one state is strong enough to dominate all others. If one state gains inordinate power it will take advantage of its strength and attack weaker neighbors. That would make those threatened to unite in a defensive coalition. -
Constitutional Monarchy in France
Established when the Liberals overthrew Charles X. Constitutional Monarchy is a form of government. In a Contitutional Monarchy a monarch acts as head of state within the guidelines of a constitution. The constitution can be written, uncodified, or blended. -
First Public Railway Line Opens in Britain
The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway opened in Kent, England on the third of May. This was hree months before the Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened. Engineered by George Stephenson. The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway includes the Middleton Railway, the Swansea and Mumbles Railway and the Surrey Iron Railway amongst others. -
Factory Act
The Factory Act 1833 was an attempt to establish a regular working day in the textile industry. One of the previsions was that children ages 14 to 18 must not work more than 12 hours a day with an hour lunch break. They also could not work more than 12 hours a day during the week. This reduced child labor greatly in Britan. -
Victoria Becomes Queen of Great Britain
Queen Victoria’s Coronation started the Victorian era which was the peak of the Industrial Revolution. During her reign the British Empire expanded and started to become the foremost global power at that time. Queen Victoria’s reign was more symbolic to families than political. Victoria’s reign lead to the ‘family monarchy’. Victoria soon became a major international figure. -
Revolutions Erupt in Eutope
The European Revolutions of 1848 is known as the Spring of Nations. This was a time of a series of upheavels. The revolutionary wave began in france and ended with all of the revolutionaries defeated. All of the reactionary forces ended up winning. -
Second Empire Begins In France
The founding principles were diffrent in the Second Empire. The government was almost exactly the same though. The empire was ultimatly to guide people to freedom and peace. Napoleon III started the Second Empire. -
Crimean War Begins
This was a conflict between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the British Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running fight between major European powers. This was for influence over territories of the declining Ottoman Empire. The Crimean War was one of the first wars to be documented with photographs and written reports. -
The British North America Act is Passed
These are the acts at the core of the Canadian constitution. They were renamed in Canada as the Constitution Acts. In the United Kingdom some acts that were passed by the British Parliament remain under their original names. The original acts lasted until 1875. -
Franco-Prussian War
The war of 1870 was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. The German victory is notable for its impact on Europe. The unification of Germany lead to the European balance of power. The conflict left years of tension between the two nations.
