Dear Readers,

Me when I realized half-way through class that it's my turn to do the blog.

The Franco-Prussian War

Why did Bismarck go to war with France? Bismarck realized that a patriotic war with France would drive the southern German states into his arms, completing the unification of Germany. As soon as war with France began in 1870, Bismarck had the wholehearted support of the southern German states, just as he suspected. Bismarck's political genius, the invincible Prussian army, & the solidarity of the king & his people in a unified nation were all themes present after the war.

What is the Ems Dispatch? The Ems Dispatch, similar to the Zimmerman Telegram of the 20th century, incited France to declare war. The actual dispatch was an internal message from the Prussian King (William I) to Bismarck, reporting demands made by the French ambassador. Bismarck released an altered statement to the press, making it seem as though France was insulting the Prussians.

The premise of the Ems Dispatch.

Russia

(Alexander I, Nicholas I, Alexander II, Alexander III, Nicholas II)

Me & Emilia pretending we knew who these rulers are in class.

Who is Nicholas I? Nicholas I was similar to Metternich in that he attempted to bring all of Russia under one way of life, completely united in all aspects of society -- the Russification of the Empire.

Why is Alexander II not a typical tsar? In the Crimean War, fought over religious unrest & Russia's perpetual need for a warm-water port, Alexander II was humiliated in his defeat. This military defeat, at the hands of Great Britain & France, marked a turning point in Russian history because it demonstrated that Russia had fallen behind the rapidly industrializing nations of western Europe in many areas. Alexander II, the "Liberator," was a tsar reformer.

What were Alexander II's reforms? Alex II abolished serfdom & instituted the zemstvo, or local government elected by a three-class system of towns, peasant villages, & noble landowners.

Serfs under Alexander II. (This is actually the dramatic freedom scene from Shawshank Redemption - watch it Mildred!!!)

Can we equate Alexander II to Abraham Lincoln? *Cue Southern accent* Alex II & Abe Lincoln both abolished slavery & were both assassinated afterwards - woah. The small terrorist group, the "People's Will," killed Alexander II because they were upset that he did not do enough for the serfs that he freed. These people wanted more reform, not less.

"Do we really just copy the Russians with everything?" -Mr. Yarnall. OOOOOH!

Who is Alexander III? Alexander II's era of reform came to an abrupt end after his assassination. Alexander III, the next tsar, was a determined reactionary. He began his rule vengeful, distraught over his father's unlawful death. This influenced his reign -- "Why should I be nice to these people if they were not nice to me?!" This is similar to France's Louis XIV & the freaks in the bedroom (the Fronde) that influenced the way he ruled.

Who is Nicholas II? Nicholas II came into power as an old-school absolutist. He was certainly not the right guy for this time (on the verge of the 20th century).
What did Nicholas II do? The Revolution of 1905 occurred under Nicholas II, Russia was displeased with reform efforts. Nicky II passed the October Manifesto, granting full civil rights & promising a popularly-elected Duma (parliament, representative assembly) with real legislative power. Nicholas II did not follow his own bill, however, & dismissed the Duma when they opposed him. Oh, Russia.

Now Russia has this guy!

That is all for today! Thank you, my friends. *Read in Dong accent*

Homework

• Read through "The Responsive Nation State"
• Study Book One of Marx's Communist Manifesto
• Post in discussions

xoxo,

Flo :)

Me after I finished this post.