Chapter 3 – Europe in the Nineteenth century: Conflict of Monarchical and Nationalist ideas

Europe in the Nineteenth Century: Conflict of Monarchical and Nationalist Ideas is an important chapter in WBBSE Class 9 History. Here, you will find Europe in the Nineteenth Century Conflict of Monarchical and Nationalist Ideas questions and answers arranged clearly to help you revise quickly and prepare better for your exams.

Content Structure

1. Multiple choice questions and answers (MCQs)
2. Very short-type questions and answers
- 2A. Fill in the blanks
- 2B. True or false
- 2C. Very short-type questions and answers
3. Short-type questions and answers
4. Analytical questions and answers
5. Explanatory questions and answers

1. Multiple choice questions and answers (MCQs)

1. The Emancipation Statute abolishing serfdom in Russia was passed in:
a) 1848
b) 1856
c) 1861
d) 1871

Ans: c) 1861

2. Which treaty brought the Crimean War to an end?
a) Treaty of Vienna
b) Treaty of Paris
c) Treaty of Frankfurt
d) Treaty of Adrianople

Ans: b) Treaty of Paris

3. The July Revolution of 1830 took place in:
a) Germany
b) Italy
c) France
d) Austria

Ans: c) France

4. Which year is known as the ‘Year of Revolutions’ in Europe?
a) 1815
b) 1830
c) 1848
d) 1871

Ans: c) 1848

5. The Congress of Vienna was held in the year:
a) 1814–1815
b) 1821–1822
c) 1830–1831
d) 1848–1849

Ans: a) 1814–1815

6. The Carbonari was a secret society of:
a) Germany
b) Italy
c) France
d) Greece

Ans: b) Italy

7. Which principle aimed at restoring old ruling dynasties in Europe?
a) Nationalism
b) Liberalism
c) Legitimacy
d) Compensation

Ans: c) Legitimacy

8. Who followed the policy of ‘Blood and Iron’?
a) Napoleon III
b) Metternich
c) Bismarck
d) Louis Philippe

Ans: c) Bismarck

9. The Battle of Sedan was fought between:
a) Austria and Prussia
b) France and Russia
c) France and Prussia
d) Italy and Austria

Ans: c) France and Prussia

10. Which country was known as the ‘Sick Man of Europe’?
a) Greece
b) Austria
c) Russia
d) Turkey

Ans: d) Turkey

2. Very short-type questions and answers

2A. Fill in the blanks [1 marks each]

1. The crimean war came to an end with the signing of the Treaty of ____________. (Paris)
2. In 1821, the people of Greece revolted against ______________. (Ottoman rule)
3. At the Congress of Vienna, Prussia was represented by ____________. (Hardenberg)
4. The Second French Empire was founded by ______________. (Louis Napoleon)
5. The leader of the July Revolution was ____________. (Lafayette)
6. The first stage in the unification of Germany was the creation of ________________. (Zollverein)
7. In _____________ the German nationalists convened a parliament called Frankfurt Parliament. (1848)
8. The treaty of Adrianople was signed in _____________. (1829)
9. The Greek people, under the _____________ rule, began their national liberation movement. (Turkish)
10. Louis Philippe came to the throne of France in ________________. (1830)

2B. True or false [1 marks each]

1. Louis Kossuth was known as ‘Mazzini of Hungary’. (True)
2. Austria was merely a ‘geographical expression.’ (True)
3. Greece was conquered by Russia and lost her independence.(False)
4. In Russia the serfs were subjected to the village mirs. (True)
5. The Balkan means the hilly areas between the Aegean Sea and the Danube. (True)
6. In the Crimean War, England and France fought against Austria.(False)
7. Metternich was the Chancellor of Austria. (True)
8. The Carbonari were so called because they used to burn charcoal. (True)
9. The July Ordinance was issued by the French Emperor Charles X in 1830.(False)
10. Lafayette was a leader of the July Revoluution. (True)

2C. Very short-type questions and answers [1 marks each]

1. What was the objective of the principle of Balance of Power of the Vienna Congress?
Ans: The objective of the principle of Balance of Power was to prevent any one nation from becoming too powerful.

2. What are the modern ideals born of the French Revolution?
Ans: Liberty, Equality and Fraternity are the modern ideals born of the French Revolution.

3. Who were the Big Four at the Congress of Vienna?
Ans: Britain, Austria, Russia and Prussia were the Big Four at the Congress of Vienna.

4. Which period is known as the Age of Metternich?
Ans: The period from 1815 to 1848 is known as the Age of Metternich.

5. Name the king who was restored to the throne of France.
Ans: King Louis XVIII was restored to the throne of France.

6. Who were the members of the Concert of Europe?
Ans: Britain, Austria, Russia and Prussia were the members of the Concert of Europe.

7. When was Napoleon and his Empire overthrown?
Ans: Napoleon and his Empire were finally overthrown in the year 1815 after the Battle of Waterloo.

8. Name the countries which were benefitted by the principle of Compensation.
Ans: Austria, Prussia, Russia and Britain were benefitted by the principle of Compensation.

9. When did the July Revolution break out in France?
Ans: The July Revolution broke out in France in the year 1830.

10. Name the countries where the impact of the July Revolution was felt.
Ans: The impact of the July Revolution was felt in Belgium, Poland, Italy and Germany.

11. Name two leaders of the July Revolution.
Ans: Lafayette and Adolphe Thiers were two leaders of the July Revolution.

12. Who issued the July Ordinance and when?
Ans: King Charles X issued the July Ordinances in the year 1830.

13. Name the Bourbon king who was overthrown by the July Revolution in France.
Ans: King Charles X was overthrown by the July Revolution.

14. Who was Polignac?
Ans: Polignac was the Prime Minister of King Charles X of France.

15. What was the period of the July Monarchy?
Ans: The period from 1830 to 1848 is known as the July Monarchy.

16. Name the countries which were influenced by the February Revolution.
Ans: Italy, Germany, Austria and Hungary were influenced by the February Revolution.

17. In which year and between whom was the Battle of Sedan fought?
Ans: The Battle of Sedan was fought in 1870 between France and Prussia.

18. In which year did Louis Napoleon declare himself the Emperor of France?
Ans: Louis Napoleon declared himself the Emperor of France in the year 1852.

19. Which treaty ended the Battle of Sadowa?
Ans: The Treaty of Prague ended the Battle of Sadowa.

20. Which country stood in the way of unity and democracy in Italy?
Ans: Austria stood in the way of unity and democracy in Italy.

3. Short-type questions and answers [2 marks each]

1. What were the main weaknesses of the Vienna Congress?
Ans: The Vienna Congress ignored the principles of nationalism and democracy and restored autocratic rulers, which created dissatisfaction among the people.

2. Why is Florence Nightingale remembered?
Ans: Florence Nightingale is remembered for her selfless service as a nurse during the Crimean War and for laying the foundation of modern nursing.

3. What was the ‘Metternich System’?
Ans: The Metternich System was a system of alliances and repression adopted to suppress liberal and nationalist movements in Europe.

4. Mention a factor that helped the emergence of the nation-states in Europe.
Ans: The spread of the ideas of nationalism and liberalism greatly helped the emergence of nation-states in Europe.

5. What did Napoleon do to unify Italy?
Ans: Napoleon Bonaparte unified Italy temporarily by abolishing feudalism, introducing uniform laws, and reducing the number of Italian states.

6. Why is the period between 1815 to 1848 known as the ‘Era of Metternich’?
Ans: This period is known as the Era of Metternich because Metternich dominated European politics and opposed liberal and nationalist movements.

7. What led to the summoning of the Vienna Congress?
Ans: The defeat of Napoleon and the need to reorganize Europe led to the summoning of the Vienna Congress.

8. Who first protested against the system of 1815 and why?
Ans: The liberals and nationalists first protested against the system of 1815 because it suppressed freedom and ignored national aspirations.

9. What was the condition of Italy before unification?
Ans: Italy’s condition before unification was weak, because it was divided into many small states and dominated by foreign powers, mainly Austria.

10. What was ‘Young Italy’?
Ans: Young Italy was a secret revolutionary organization founded to promote Italian unity and nationalism.

4. Analytical questions and answers [4 marks each]

1. Which period is known as the ‘Age of Conferences’? What were the conferences held during this period?
Ans: The period from 1815 to 1822 is known as the Age of Conferences. During this time, European powers met in a series of conferences such as Aix-la-Chapelle (1818), Troppau (1820), Laibach (1821) and Verona (1822). These conferences were held to suppress revolutionary movements and preserve the Vienna system and conservative political order in Europe.

2. What were the aspirations of the peoples of Europe after 1815?
Ans: The peoples of Europe aspired for national unity, political freedom and democratic rights. They wanted an end to absolute monarchy, foreign domination and feudal privileges. Inspired by the ideas of the French Revolution, people demanded constitutional government and participation in administration. National groups desired to form independent nation-states based on common language, culture and history.

3. What were the contributions of the Young Italy movement?
Ans: The Young Italy movement played an important role in spreading the spirit of Italian nationalism, especially among the youth. It aimed at achieving the unity and independence of Italy and establishing a republican form of government. The movement educated people through pamphlets, writings, speeches and secret revolutionary activities. Although it did not achieve immediate success, it awakened national consciousness and prepared the ground for the unification of Italy.

4. How would you criticise the ‘Emancipation Statute’ of 1863?
Ans: The Emancipation Statute, though progressive in intention, failed to bring real freedom to Russian peasants. While serfdom was abolished, peasants were burdened with heavy redemption payments for land received. The land allotted to them was often poor and insufficient. The village mir system also restricted their freedom. As a result, the statute benefited landlords more than peasants and did not fully improve the condition of the serfs.

5. In what ways was the Vienna Congress successful?
Ans: The Vienna Congress succeeded in restoring political stability in Europe after the Napoleonic Wars. It prevented major wars for nearly forty years and effectively applied the principle of balance of power. The restoration of old dynasties helped maintain conservative order across Europe. Although the settlement ignored national aspirations, it temporarily succeeded in maintaining peace.

6. How was Raja Ram Mohan Roy influenced by the July Revolution?
Ans: Raja Ram Mohan Roy was deeply influenced by the July Revolution of 1830 in France. He welcomed the revolution as a triumph of liberty over absolutism and regarded it as a great victory for constitutional government. The success of the revolution strengthened his faith in civil rights, freedom of expression and representative government. Inspired by these ideas, he strongly supported press freedom and political reforms in India. Thus, the July Revolution reinforced his liberal and reformist outlook.

5. Explanatory questions and answers [8 marks each]

1. Describe the life of the serfs in Russia. Why was Tsar Alexander II known as the ‘Czar the Liberator’?
Ans: The life of the serfs in Russia before emancipation was extremely miserable and oppressive. Serfs were tied to the land and were treated almost as the personal property of landlords. They had no personal freedom and could not marry, move or change occupations without the permission of their masters. Serfs were forced to render unpaid labour and lived in conditions of poverty, ignorance and exploitation. Education was almost absent, and their standard of living was very low.
Alexander II was known as the Czar the Liberator because he abolished serfdom in 1861 through the Emancipation Statute. This act legally freed millions of serfs and ended a centuries-old system of bondage. However, the reform had serious limitations, as peasants were burdened with heavy redemption payments and received poor quality land. Despite these shortcomings, Alexander II is remembered as a liberator because he took the first major step toward social reform in Russia.

2. Write in brief about Balkan nationalism.
Ans: The rise of Balkan nationalism was closely connected with the decline of the Ottoman Empire. The Balkan region was inhabited by many nationalities such as the Serbs, Greeks, Bulgarians and Romanians, who developed a strong sense of national consciousness. Oppressive Turkish rule, heavy taxation and economic exploitation created deep resentment among these peoples. Russia encouraged Balkan nationalism through its policy of Pan-Slavism, which aimed at supporting Slavic nations. Continuous revolts, wars and international treaties gradually weakened Ottoman control. As a result, Balkan nationalism created serious instability in Europe and turned the region into the “Powder Magazine of Europe.”

3. Write about Tsar Alexander II as a reformer.
Ans: Tsar Alexander II is regarded as a reformer because he introduced several important reforms to modernise Russia. His most significant reform was the abolition of serfdom in 1861, which legally freed millions of serfs. He also introduced judicial reforms, established local self-governing institutions known as Zemstvos, expanded education and reorganised the army. However, these reforms had limitations, as peasants remained burdened with heavy payments and poor land. Despite these shortcomings, Alexander II made serious efforts to modernise Russia and is therefore remembered as a great reformer.

4. Write about the impact of the July Revolution of 1830 in Europe.
Ans: The July Revolution of 1830 in France had a deep and widespread impact on Europe. It overthrew the reactionary Bourbon king Charles X and established a constitutional monarchy under Louis Philippe. This revolution weakened the Vienna Settlement and struck a blow at absolutism.
It inspired nationalist and liberal movements in Belgium, Poland, Italy and Germany. Belgium successfully achieved independence from Holland. Though revolts in Poland, Italy and Germany failed, the revolution strengthened liberal and nationalist ideas. Thus, the July Revolution encouraged people to rise against autocratic rule and marked a new phase in European nationalism.

5. How did Bismarck unify Germany?
Ans: Otto von Bismarck unified Germany through his policy of “Blood and Iron,” which emphasised the use of military power and diplomacy rather than speeches and resolutions. As the Prime Minister of Prussia, Bismarck first strengthened the Prussian army and isolated Austria diplomatically. He defeated Austria in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, thereby removing it from German affairs.
Bismarck then cleverly provoked France into war through the Ems Telegram in 1870. The Franco-Prussian War united all the German states against a common enemy. After Prussia’s victory, the German states agreed to unite under Prussian leadership. In 1871, the German Empire was proclaimed at the Palace of Versailles, completing the unification of Germany.