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Revolutions of 1848
Continent-wide revolutionary wave that challenged monarchies and accelerated nationalist politics.
Historical overview
Overview adapted from a Wikipedia summary and stored locally on May 11, 2026.
The revolutions of 1848, also known as the springtime of the peoples, were a series of revolutions throughout Europe that spanned almost two years, between January 1848 and October 1849. They remain the most widespread revolutionary wave in European history to date.
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Border context
1816-1848historical border era
Vienna settlement and independence waves
The post-Napoleonic European settlement coexists with new states in Latin America and the eastern Mediterranean.
Latin American republics emerge from Spanish imperial collapse. Greek independence changes the Ottoman frontier.1849-1871historical border era
National unification and civil wars
Civil wars, imperial rebellions and European unification wars transform the United States, China, Italy and Germany.
German unification redraws Central Europe. The American Civil War preserves the United States and ends legal slavery.