Aims
This course aims to:
- 1. Give you a secure base of knowledge and understanding of major themes in the political history of Europe in the late 18th and first half of the 19th centuries.
- Help you to understand and interpret source material of different sorts relating to the content of the course.
- Help you to discuss and reach your own assessment and interpretation of the people, events and developments which feature in the course and of the historiographical debates surrounding them.
Content
Towards the end of the 18th century, the pattern of life and structure of European society which had existed for centuries fell apart in violent revolution that was to have long-term consequences, stretching through the 20th century and up to our own day. The ancien regime had already nurtured new intellectual ideas that questioned and mocked some of its fundamental assumptions, when Europeans were presented with the unusual spectacle of a successful national rebellion which also established a totally new form of government – the American republic. The challenge that America posed to traditional European thinking was taken up by the French, who rose in revolution in 1789, destroying symbols of their monarchy and even attempting a ‘Year Zero’ approach, attempting to eradicate all remnants of the old world and start a new one on quite
different principles.
However, the French experiment led to conflict and repression at home and war abroad. The monarchies of Europe, from autocratic Russia to constitutional Great Britain, sought to crush the French republic in the name of the traditional values they upheld. Napoleon successfully defied them but, when his challenge became too serious to ignore, he was defeated and crushed and the European Powers sought to remake a post-revolutionary world. However, the ideals the French had articulated could not be so easily snuffed out, and the years after Napoleon saw a series of revolutionary challenges to the established order, culminating in Europe’s great year of revolution, 1848. In the short term, the revolutionaries were defeated but from their defeat emerged lessons and ideas that were to shape Europe and the world and lead into the conflicts and wars of the next century.
Presentation of the course
The main method of presentation will be illustrated lectures, with time built in for discussion. We will also look at some source material to see how it can be evaluated to help us understand the issues and the outlook of the people who created it.
Class sessions
- Europe’s Old Regime – the ‘early modern world’ of pre-revolutionary Europe, its shape, outlook and beliefs.
- Revolution in America – the impact on Europe of America’s successful war of independence.
- Russia looks West – Romanov Russia, the Pugachev rebellion and the end of independent Poland.
- The Bastille Falls – the events in Paris in 1789 and the beginnings of revolutionary change.
- France: a Republic at War – the French execute their king and slide into Terror at home and war abroad.
- Napoleon: the new Emperor of the West – Napoleon as the embodiment both of revolution and of old-style Empire.
- The Counter-Revolution – after the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the powers of Europe continue their war against the ideas that sparked them.
- Revolutions and Revolutionaries – who were the men and women who staged revolutions in Europe in the years after Napoleon and what did they achieve?
- 1848: Failure of Ideals – why did Europe rise in revolution in 1848 and why did the revolutions fail?
- Legacy – the Age of Revolution left Europe with lessons for the future and the seeds of future states and future wars.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course, you should be able to:
- Talk with confidence and knowledge about major events in the political history of Europe in the period c.1774-c.1850;
- Discuss with insight and understanding the major political ideas and ideologies of the period;
- Reach an informed assessment of people, events, issues and developments in the political history in the period and of historians’ debates about them.
Required reading
Broers, Michael, Europe under Napoleon, 1799-1815 (London: Hodder Arnold, 1996)
Evans, R J W, The revolutions in Europe, 1848-1849: from reform to reaction (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002)
Sperber, Jonathan, Revolutionary Europe (London: Pearson, 2000)
Typical week: Monday to Friday
Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students.
Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to the learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events.
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c.7.30am-9.00am
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Breakfast in College (for residents)
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9.00am-10.30am
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Am Course
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11.00am-12.15pm
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Plenary Lecture
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12.15pm-1.30pm
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Lunch
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1.30pm-3.00pm
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Pm Course
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3.30pm-4.45pm
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Plenary Lecture/Free
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6.00pm/6.15pm-7.15pm
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Dinner in College (for residents)
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7.30pm onwards
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Evening talk/Event/Free
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Evaluation and Academic Credit
If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.
Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay.
For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit.
Certificate of attendance
A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.
