Springtime of the Peoples

In 1848, a revolutionary fever progressively took hold in several European countries. A movement called the Springtime of the Peoples or the Revolutions of 1848. This fever was first of all due to the economic crisis of 1847-1848, which led to unemployment and poverty. The movement started from Paris – where the revolution brought down King Louis-Philippe and the monarchy – and then gained ground in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, where it ignited nationalist demands on the part of minorities such as the Czechs, Romanians, etc. Germany was also contaminated. Following these movements and demands several European sovereigns were forced to adopt reforms and a constitutional system…before picking up the reins of power when the revolutionary movement lost momentum.