The idea that the future emperor of France decided it was a good idea to combat 'revolution' in London as a policeman, working alongside Robert Peele of all people. is incredibly funny to me.
@@aliabdallah102 He was forced to declare ,in the 2nd half of his reign (As Emperor) ,he reinstored the Senate ,and it was full of Republican that wanted to destroy the Empire and make a Republic ,so when he proposed to modernize the army a few years before 1870 ,it was rejected by the Senate ,and when the Senate had to vote on wether or not the war should be Declared ,they voted Yes ,knowing that Napoleon III didn't want it . (But the Senate and the population wanted the war) .
@@aliabdallah102 Doesn't make it any less funny. Just the image of Louie-Napoleon dressed up as a 'bobby' is rather entertaining. Then throw in Robert Peel (for whom the police get the name 'bobbies') and it is even funnier.
So it was the anti-Napoleon senate that caused France to lose Alsace-Lorraine which would inevitably lead to France hating Germany that would lead to where they are in WW1.
“The palace is not safe when the cottage is not happy” - Benjamin Disraeli Britain was spared of revolutions throughout the 19th and 20th centuries because the governments adopted the idea that evolution was more preferable to revolution. Gradually expanding voting rights and bettering working conditions whenever things seemed tense enough, not too much at any one time however. Essentially we saw what happened in France and decided we’d rather not have that. Took a lot of change over time, but it was bloodless and eventually got there.
Not to mention far more stable and future proof. If you adopt constant evolution you can always react to new ideas, new rules and new conditions. Whereas even if you bring the best people in charge with the best system at the time with a revolution and commit to it so strictly, your "best system" might become outdated in the future and it would be much harder to change it again (without another revolution). This is also a big benefit of not having a codified constitution.
@@aaronleverton4221 The 1689 was a blood less revolution. Inviting a foreign monarch to replace or own. France it have more painful experience exactly a century later.
It seems like these episodes are being turned out at a record pace but are also better than ever, which is really saying something. The creator of the channel is an absolute legend
Geology is another thing that gets me. Like, imagine if a mountain didn't exist to block or hinder an invading army (like Hannibal and the Alps) or if Antarctica wasn't so far south. The fact that something happened millions of years ago could affect human history fascinates me to no end.
My history teacher told me it’s because Britain were one of the first to have a revolution due to Cromwell. Finding out that it sucked and keeping the monarchy was easier pretty much prevented any further chances
What about the "Glorious Revolution"? The one that yoinked James II of England/VII of Scotland off the throne to replace him with his daughter, Mary II, and her husband William III? Or am I thinking of something else?
@@louisduarte8763 that wasn’t really a proper, forceful Revolution. It’s called the glorious Revolution because it was peaceful and the majority wanted it. Not to mention, the monarchy stayed intact, just different monarchs.
Sounds about right. The English already had their political adolescence during the 18th and 17th centuries. While a de jure monarchy, it was a de facto republic since 1721. The Hanoverian Kings ***technically*** ruled the country, but the real power was already devolved, and it continued to slowly devolve over the next 270 years. The British had released the pressure slowly but safely, and it stopped a bomb from going off.
@@vonkaiser6817 it's local differences but similar trajectory. Whereas in France the bourgeoisie overthrew the aristocracy in Britain the aristocracy was subsumed into the bourgeoisie. In both countries similar development occured altho at different times, i.e. the end of a pure aristocratic rule in favour of bourgeois rule during the process of proletarianisation of the peasantry.
@@louisduarte8763 That was technically more of a foreign power invading and the army (along with pretty much everyone else) quietly stepping aside and letting Willian come in and take the throne since no one really liked James.
*VIDEO SUGGESTION:* How did the other European powers react to the proclamation of The Second French Empire with Napoleon III? Didn't it raise any red flags considering... past events? Was there ever even a possibility of there being an Eighth Coalition War?
It'd be a great time to use Napoleon III's slogan "The Empire Means Peace" which he used to try to calm down the other powers in Europe. It's such a hilarious phrase in retrospect.
@@Banana_Split_Cream_Bunsbeing related to someone does not mean you believe what they believe. Matter of fact one of hitler's close relatives famously fought in the US army.
I know you briefly mentioned revolts in Ireland and Wales in the years leading up to 1848, but there was actually a small-but-significant rebellion in Ireland in the year 1848 itself. I learned about it in school when taught about the revolutions of 1848. The "rebellion" boiled down to little more than a single firefight between an unknown number of Irish rebels and British forces which left two rebels dead. Like I said, small. But two significant things came out of this rebellion: 1. The French-inspired tricolor flag which Ireland still uses today. 2. The creation of the IRB (Irish Rebublican Brotherhood). Essentially a precursor to the IRA, this was the secret revolutionary organisation which eventually carried out the 1916 Rising, which eventually led to Irish independence. As an amusing sidenote, two of the Irish rebel leaders fled to the USA and went on to fight against one another in the American Civil War.
Irish leader #1: Paddy, America's having a civil war. Them bloody confederates want to enslave men of color Irish leader #2: Confederates seem based Irish leader #1: 😐
@@bakrahabibi5471 Sad thing, many catholic groups especially the Poles and Irish were victims of harassment and crimes from the KKK. Even my polish great grandfather immediately had to buy himself a gun when he and his family first came to America when the Klan was harassing them despite being as white as they were.
It's quite funny learning about this while knowing how the UK's armada was saved from the Spanish ships because of inadequate weather conditions back in 1588. I'm missing lot of other exemples but it truly makes you feel sometimes like the UK's greatest ally is no other than their own welll known British weather
@@JeeVeeHaych (Weather saves Japan) Japan: Divine fortune smiles upon us! We shall remember this in legend and make it a part of our national heritage and identity! (Weather saves UK) UK: Oh, bother. Guess we shall have to take tea inside today.
I would argue that Britain's wealth and relative liberalism compared to the rest of Europe played an important part. The UK _did_ nearly have a full-scale revolution soon after the Napoleonic Wars, but the situation back then was much more dire due to being pre-Reform and under the quite literal cloud of a volcanic winter causing global famine.
True, if things were really so desperate that the people felt a revolution was really necessary they would have at least come back the next day after it stopped raining.
@@AFGuidesHD They were wealthy but still less equal and undergoing industrialisation that had already happened in Britain. While Britain was stable post-industrialisation and beginning very slowly to equalise again, most other countries were going through the effects of rising inequality, which just breeds revolutionary sentiment.
@@kjn3350 Indeed, plus despite working conditions being pretty grim under industrialisation, they paid more and gave many people more chances than were previously available in agriculture. People went to the mill towns of Lancashire and Yorkshire and the mining towns of South Wales voluntarily. Otherwise the Welsh Valleys would be as empty as the similar hills of central Wales.
@@stevemc01 yes, he did classic presidential things such as "make the senate pay off my personal debts" and "overthrow democracy and make me the emperor"
I know it turned out to be irrelevant, but the Duke of Wellington's plan was very insightful, it showed he understood how showing force can encourage others to feel the need to show force themselves and the escalation this can cause.
A lot of political types have zero understanding of how conflict works. For instance, most good martial artists know to avoid street fights where possible because they know of the level of uncontrolled danger involved. Similarly, many countries have started wars that have ended in their defeat because their leaders overestimated their chances and underestimated the resistance their actions would generate. A useful example would be Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait or even Putin's war in Ukraine: Putin thought that the people of Ukraine would simply welcome him... instead, he woke the sleeping NATO beast up... he turned neutral Finland and Sweden against him, while Germany has reinvigorated its military for the first time since reunification.
"Who would later go on to find gainful employment in France." And this is why History Matters is awesome. (Also, his sense of humor is so dry he could have made the conditions acceptable for the Chartists to march in London).
His son, the fourth Napoleon, was in exile in London after his father's empire fell, and insisted on fighting in some heroic war. Despite their advice he insisted on heading over to fight the Zulus (the British wanted to hang onto him in case there was ever another Napoleonic restoration). So Napoleon IV was disembowelled by a Zulu warrior while fighting for the British.
You want a wild one? When the French knocked over the Corsican republic in the late 1700s, Napoleon's father was planning to make a run for it to that haven for European political exiles: England. So, yeah, but for one little chaos butterfly Napoleon might have been bought up in Britain as 'Leo Bonport' or something.
Probably because of the extremes that came with Cromwell. Britain basically established modern day conservatism as a result of that to avoid having too crazy things happening too quickly.
Although seriously, you can see how structurally, Britain was better equipt to deal with potential unrest than more authoritarian regimes on the continent
@@SamZZZZZ526 You don't have an absolute monarchy. It wasn't exactly what one would call democratic, but the house of commons and even to a certain extent the house of lords meant that the rallying cry of autocracy didn't ring quite as true, AND that reformists could already obtain (And in this case, embarrassingly lose) a platform.
I thought you were going to talk about the great reform... Britain came extremely close to a revolution a few decades before 1848 and the way they dealt with that is interesting
@@adamlakeman7240 because it's a horrifying word conjuring up terrible images of rotten teeth and poor foreign policy and should not be uttered, let alone spelt
That must have been quite the strong rain because when I was in the UK, people seemed almost completely unbothered by rain most of the time - quite a few not even using an umbrella.
Major revolution in Ireland was avoided by the Great Famine. The previous year was the worst year of the famine and the blight was still destroying the crops. (Contrary to popular belief, starving people are too exhausted to rebel. It's people who see a crisis coming that rebel.)
I- I was today years old when I learned republican Britain's flag is a brighter reverse of Hungary. Also it's incredibly fitting that the reason why the UK didn't kick the crown was because of the weather. "Yeah reforms are all well and good but nobody likes the rain"
This is a good skit. I love history and I love comedy; combine them together, it's gold. The 2-minute setup and punchline in 2:28 really hit. Amazing!!!
From memory, apparently Queen Victoria, the Duke of Wellingt9n and other luminaries of the period ‘signed’ that petition. It also led to the saying ‘it’s in the bag’ emerging as petitions are placed in a giant satchel type thing in Parliament.
It's all part of England's euroskepticism, courtesy King Henry VIII. If all of Europe is doing it, are we really sure it's a good thing? After all, they have a lot of bad ideas on the Continent.
Also, Britain was transporting anyone who might cause trouble to Australia - including Chartist leaders like William Cuffay. That, and free migration of people with no economic opportunities to the colonies meant that there weren’t as many potential rebels in the UK come 1848. Chartists went on to play a major role in establishing democratic institutions in places like Australia and New Zealand. Cuffay’s life is fascinating. He was the son of an English woman and an African man in the Caribbean and was a political activist his whole life. TLDR: sending your working class people to take over other people’s countries makes revolution at home less likely.
Fun fact: a young Allan Pinkerton was involved in the chartist movement for a time before later immigrating to America and founding the Pinkerton detective agency.
Once again History Matters has taught me more about history than I learned in school. Here are a few video suggestions 1. Why did Britain enter WW1? 2. Why didn't Britain and France aid the Confederacy? 3. Why did Texas join the United States? 4. Why didn't North and South Korea reunite?
Britian and France were threatened by the Union. The East Coast was blocked off, and has the UK and France been able to send aid, they would have been seen as sympathizers of Slavery which until the Battle of Gettysburg had been a non-issue.
"It was the rain" As a person whose never been to England my picture of England is that it's always raining or threatening rain or a good chance of rain. Wouldn't rain stop stuff constantly in England if they were always worried about it? 😉
It was 40 degrees Celsius last week in England and high 30s in the rest of the UK. Literally the day after it was 18 degrees, grey, and raining by me and hasn't changed since....
Two major reasons: Cuba more clearly now isn't communist (it never was) so America doesn't really fear it much anymore, It'd be incredibly unpopular domestically and internationally, whatever president signed off would not see the end of it.
A revolution in the U.K. being cancelled because of a slight drizzle is perhaps the most British thing I have ever heard of. I guess that truly the flames of revolution cannot burn if there is rain. 🤷🏻♂️🌧️ 🇬🇧🍵😂
Honestly, it makes sense that the isles didn’t experience revolution since, given they are islands, people could just up and leave whenever they felt things were not in their best interest, which they did as emigration from the Isles to the US during this time, was massive. Ironically this is also why emigration from Scandinavia was almost non-existent during this time, as the Scandinavian Governments reinforced their practices of providing incentives for their populations not to leave
Immigration or emigration? Your comment seems contradictory to me, or I am possibly not understanding it right. To clarify; You speak that since they are islands, people can leave. But then you talk about immigration to the US, instead of emigration.
But wouldn't the fact that its an island make it HARDER to leave? you can always sneak to another country by foot or inside some transportation, but when you are surrounded by water, things get more complicated. I dunno
@@BrotherHood-xh9sg in the US the topic is often called “immigration” as from the US perspective that’s what it was. So Americans will often use the phrase immigration to US rather than Emigration to US
One thing to consider is that up until the American and French Revolutions, the UK had been the leader of liberalism in the world. So they had achieved many things in steps that were taken a lot earlier from the 12th century _Magna Carta_ to the 17th century Glorious Revolution. So at the beginning of the 19th century, the UK was a Bourgeois liberal ruled society and by the end of the 19th century, it had moved to having the beginnings of more of a social liberal democracy. However, prior to the French Revolution, France was an absolute monarchy, as were the German/HRE states. Russia was also an absolute monarchy right up until the beginning of the 20th century, hence its revolutions in 1917 were far more drastic.
Was it an unusually strong rainstorm or thunderstorm or something? Because I’ve lived in London before and a bit of rain stops nothing. People just pull out an umbrella or put on an overcoat or whatever and go about their business. There has to be more to what stopped the march than a bit of rain.
Belgium too somewhat narrowly avoided revolution in 1848. It was an important success for the Belgian state which at that point had only existed for about 18 years. It proved the new state was stable and further cemented Belgium's status as an independent nation. This may be interesting to do a video on. Or perhaps one called "Why didn't Belgium become a Republic?". Interesting and funny stories to be told there. For example, at one point during the revolution of 1830, symbol of the revolution Louis de Potter, who was a republican, threatened to fellow revolutionaries that he would declare a republic at once, standing on the balcony before the masses in Brussel. He was stopped from doing so only under threat of being thrown down the balcony... Eventually Belgium became a monarchy because this was the only way to gain support from the anti-French monarchist powers and other conservative forces. However, the republican faction, as well as organist faction, would only truly stop being a threat to the new Belgian constitutional monarchy from 1848 on.
Parallel to this, however, was the Irish Potato Famine which was still affecting the populace in that the 47 harvest was fairly poor. There was an attempt at rebellion that went nowhere because the famine left the populace too weak and destitute to mount opposition.
The conditions in Britain were so awful that between about 1810 and 1910 ten million emigrated from Britain. Emigration was encouraged to reduce poverty and elevate the excessive population growth. Most Emigration was to North America and Australia. After events in France the British government were prepared to suppress any attempt at revolt. People just left.
Great episode! Also as a fun side fact, the image at the end of the man ice skating is a recreation of the painting, "The Skating Minister" At least, I think it is
I really appreciate the effort you’ve put into these videos, they are informative. But you do speak rather fast! And I had to stop and rewind when that document came up halfway through so I could read it! The figures you gave for the number of men who could vote after 1832 were presumably for the UK as a whole, for England and Wales I think it was 20%? And I suppose it is too much to ask nowadays that a British person doing a video on British history might do it in British English, rather than, like, the American variety! I’m quite sure that none of the chartists complained about things “sucking”. I suppose the police constables might have been told “here is a truncheon, go and hit someone with it”, but probably not “here is a truncheon, go hit someone with it”.
I'm having a hard time believing that rain stopped play in this case. Rain doesn't stop much here. I'm thinking that rain was the excuse given when the Chartists realised that they had overestimated their numbers.
Probably, the 100,000 constables and the presence of the army also probably caused all the radicals to go to ground and them to realise that they wouldn't be able to use the momentum of the situation topple parliaments control of the situation, though the rain probably did keep away the habitually aggrieved who usually form a considerable contingent of any such movement.
0:28 It's funny that you put Queen Maria II of Portugal in the stability club because in the 40's Portugal was in the middle of a civil war between absolutists, moderate liberals, radical liberals ,religious people, anti-clericalists and still counted on the intervention of Spain and England.
This is a big reason Canada is peaceful people. It’s hard to start a revolution when you have to shovel 4ft of snow every other day. Even during the Trucker Protest propane tanks were key to provide heat and were eventually seized by RCMP, which essentially ended the protest
I actually think you missed an really important part, the fact that Methodism and Christianity particularly spread across working class communities, such as the Nazarene movement, salvation army and Pentecostalism, but particularly the holiness movement. This in itself was responding to social issues on such a scale, that I think it changed the landscape. Schools, hospitals etc all set up by the church to help the poor.
I think another important factor is that countries in Western Europe like the UK and Spain had a safety valve - the colonies. Disgruntled citizens just moved abroad. In the late 1800s other Western European countries like Germany and nations in Scandinavia found this valve too. I wonder if the French Revolution would have even happened if it didn’t lose its colonies in the Seven Years War
France had a tougher restrictions on movement of it's citizens due to the fact that the king and the nobility had most of the power, compare to Britain which had a parliament and a monarchy with limited powers , which made it easier for anyone to migrate from British Isles to the colonies.this one of the reasons why Britain won seven years war
The Chartists' demands were also very radical and numerous, and the movement was associated with violence rather than genuine desire for change, so the government was much less willing/likely to listen
Never really connected the dots until now but the closing down of working man's clubs over the last 50 years is pretty clearly part of the trend of taking power away from the working class
Funny how Europe has had revolutions and rebellions galore to topple dictatorships and bring about freedom but the UK, who never really did was usually the first one to introduce liberty and never really fell to extreme governments like fascism/communism. One of the first countries in Europe (and often the world) to abolish serfdom, slavery, put checks and balances on Monarchs, human rights, economic rights, etc. That's not to say it didn't happen, but it was at a fraction of the frequency of the mainland.
The UK had multiple rebellions in Ireland throughout the entirety of it's existence. In fact the 1801 Act of Union came about BECAUSE of the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland
As a presumed Irish nationalist you would surely admit whoever that the Irish don't count and their opinions were largely a matter for the military budget.
Progress was being made, just slowly. Also the fact the government wanted to be prepared but not incite was very wise. Wellington certainly added credibility to having a competent professional responce.
1848 Europe: So what saved you from a Revolution? British Parliament: The rain 1848Europe: A rain of bullets? British Parliament: No, just a rainy day.
Rain was the true defender of the British crown
How does a verified YT from a year ago only have 7 likes?
@@theEWDSDS FR
Rain, we britons do hate the rain
Rain for the people, storms, and bloody thunder for the invader.
-The British weather, perhaps.
Like how snow defended Russia and the forests defending Vietnam
I love that the rain stopped a revolution. Such a British thing to happen. “Can’t have a march today, it’s bloody raining” 😂
You would think that they are used to constant rain
@@breaderikthegreat3224 Yet they always never are
Yeah I’ve just washed my hair so if I March in the rain I’m going to have hell hair all month
@@breaderikthegreat3224 we never are
I burst out laughing at that bit
The idea that the future emperor of France decided it was a good idea to combat 'revolution' in London as a policeman, working alongside Robert Peele of all people. is incredibly funny to me.
I mean, we're talking about the same guy who, declared war on Prussia, LOST, got CAPTURED and thus couldn't negotiate. Yeah, he's not that bright.
@@aliabdallah102 He was forced to declare ,in the 2nd half of his reign (As Emperor) ,he reinstored the Senate ,and it was full of Republican that wanted to destroy the Empire and make a Republic ,so when he proposed to modernize the army a few years before 1870 ,it was rejected by the Senate ,and when the Senate had to vote on wether or not the war should be Declared ,they voted Yes ,knowing that Napoleon III didn't want it . (But the Senate and the population wanted the war) .
@@aliabdallah102 Doesn't make it any less funny. Just the image of Louie-Napoleon dressed up as a 'bobby' is rather entertaining. Then throw in Robert Peel (for whom the police get the name 'bobbies') and it is even funnier.
So it was the anti-Napoleon senate that caused France to lose Alsace-Lorraine which would inevitably lead to France hating Germany that would lead to where they are in WW1.
Yeah, it sounds like something out of a bad fanfic but it is reality.
“The palace is not safe when the cottage is not happy” - Benjamin Disraeli
Britain was spared of revolutions throughout the 19th and 20th centuries because the governments adopted the idea that evolution was more preferable to revolution. Gradually expanding voting rights and bettering working conditions whenever things seemed tense enough, not too much at any one time however. Essentially we saw what happened in France and decided we’d rather not have that. Took a lot of change over time, but it was bloodless and eventually got there.
Not to mention far more stable and future proof. If you adopt constant evolution you can always react to new ideas, new rules and new conditions. Whereas even if you bring the best people in charge with the best system at the time with a revolution and commit to it so strictly, your "best system" might become outdated in the future and it would be much harder to change it again (without another revolution). This is also a big benefit of not having a codified constitution.
And revolution was already tried in the 1600s which wasn't much fun
@@catmonarchist8920 Well, it went a little more gloriously the second time.
@@aaronleverton4221 The 1689 was a blood less revolution. Inviting a foreign monarch to replace or own. France it have more painful experience exactly a century later.
@@billcipherproductions1789 I mean William was half English so was he truly foreign?
It seems like these episodes are being turned out at a record pace but are also better than ever, which is really saying something. The creator of the channel is an absolute legend
With the funding of James bisonette anything is possible
@@boredgeneral770 Don't forget "Izi?!"
For an empire that conquered 1/4 of the world, it is baffling but hilarious that people refuse to have a march while it's raining.
The Birtsh Grenadiers: Hold my bayonet
1/4*
The main reason we conquered Africa and the Middle East is so we had somewhere to go that wasn't raining.
There's a reason the British were so successful
One fourth, not one third.
We need a video solely done on the 1848 revolutions
Time to bring back the ten minute videos!
That would be nice
The Revolutions podcast did a whole season on 1848 if you’re interested!
as mentioned Mike Duncans The Revolutions podcast covered the 1848 revolutions in great detail
Epic History TV next video will be on the revolutions of 1848
It’s kind of crazy how much of the world’s history has been shaped by nonsensical actions.
It kinda debunks the idea that humans are rational beings.
@@princekalender2154 Nah, we're still rational beings. We just enjoy chaos.
Because people are dumb
Geology is another thing that gets me. Like, imagine if a mountain didn't exist to block or hinder an invading army (like Hannibal and the Alps) or if Antarctica wasn't so far south. The fact that something happened millions of years ago could affect human history fascinates me to no end.
real life plot holes
My history teacher told me it’s because Britain were one of the first to have a revolution due to Cromwell. Finding out that it sucked and keeping the monarchy was easier pretty much prevented any further chances
What about the "Glorious Revolution"? The one that yoinked James II of England/VII of Scotland off the throne to replace him with his daughter, Mary II, and her husband William III? Or am I thinking of something else?
@@louisduarte8763 that wasn’t really a proper, forceful Revolution. It’s called the glorious Revolution because it was peaceful and the majority wanted it. Not to mention, the monarchy stayed intact, just different monarchs.
Sounds about right. The English already had their political adolescence during the 18th and 17th centuries. While a de jure monarchy, it was a de facto republic since 1721. The Hanoverian Kings ***technically*** ruled the country, but the real power was already devolved, and it continued to slowly devolve over the next 270 years. The British had released the pressure slowly but safely, and it stopped a bomb from going off.
@@vonkaiser6817 it's local differences but similar trajectory. Whereas in France the bourgeoisie overthrew the aristocracy in Britain the aristocracy was subsumed into the bourgeoisie. In both countries similar development occured altho at different times, i.e. the end of a pure aristocratic rule in favour of bourgeois rule during the process of proletarianisation of the peasantry.
@@louisduarte8763 That was technically more of a foreign power invading and the army (along with pretty much everyone else) quietly stepping aside and letting Willian come in and take the throne since no one really liked James.
*VIDEO SUGGESTION:*
How did the other European powers react to the proclamation of The Second French Empire with Napoleon III? Didn't it raise any red flags considering... past events? Was there ever even a possibility of there being an Eighth Coalition War?
It'd be a great time to use Napoleon III's slogan "The Empire Means Peace" which he used to try to calm down the other powers in Europe. It's such a hilarious phrase in retrospect.
And the start of the 2nd republic also gave a scare to Europe
Can you imagine Hitler's nephew becoming West German Chancellor in 1977 and everyone being like "nah, it'll be fine"?
@@Banana_Split_Cream_Bunsbeing related to someone does not mean you believe what they believe. Matter of fact one of hitler's close relatives famously fought in the US army.
@@Banana_Split_Cream_BunsConsidering the rise of the far right in Europe rn (bad and ugly) the new H should say like "Never again....here I am!"
I know you briefly mentioned revolts in Ireland and Wales in the years leading up to 1848, but there was actually a small-but-significant rebellion in Ireland in the year 1848 itself. I learned about it in school when taught about the revolutions of 1848. The "rebellion" boiled down to little more than a single firefight between an unknown number of Irish rebels and British forces which left two rebels dead. Like I said, small. But two significant things came out of this rebellion:
1. The French-inspired tricolor flag which Ireland still uses today.
2. The creation of the IRB (Irish Rebublican Brotherhood). Essentially a precursor to the IRA, this was the secret revolutionary organisation which eventually carried out the 1916 Rising, which eventually led to Irish independence.
As an amusing sidenote, two of the Irish rebel leaders fled to the USA and went on to fight against one another in the American Civil War.
Was that the cabbage patch battle ??
Irish leader #1: Paddy, America's having a civil war. Them bloody confederates want to enslave men of color
Irish leader #2: Confederates seem based
Irish leader #1: 😐
@@JOGA_Wills Yes
@@bakrahabibi5471 Sad thing, many catholic groups especially the Poles and Irish were victims of harassment and crimes from the KKK. Even my polish great grandfather immediately had to buy himself a gun when he and his family first came to America when the Klan was harassing them despite being as white as they were.
@@bakrahabibi5471 names were John Mitchel and Thomas F Meagher
It's quite funny learning about this while knowing how the UK's armada was saved from the Spanish ships because of inadequate weather conditions back in 1588. I'm missing lot of other exemples but it truly makes you feel sometimes like the UK's greatest ally is no other than their own welll known British weather
Same could be said for Japan: the Mongols tried to invade it (twice) and both times most of their fleet was destroyed by a typhoon.
...such a pity we might not have that weather for too much longer...
@@JeeVeeHaych (Weather saves Japan)
Japan: Divine fortune smiles upon us! We shall remember this in legend and make it a part of our national heritage and identity!
(Weather saves UK)
UK: Oh, bother. Guess we shall have to take tea inside today.
Our greatest ally is God
@@moritamikamikara3879 weather and climate is not the same thing
I would argue that Britain's wealth and relative liberalism compared to the rest of Europe played an important part. The UK _did_ nearly have a full-scale revolution soon after the Napoleonic Wars, but the situation back then was much more dire due to being pre-Reform and under the quite literal cloud of a volcanic winter causing global famine.
True, if things were really so desperate that the people felt a revolution was really necessary they would have at least come back the next day after it stopped raining.
Except most countries in Europe that had revolutions were also wealthy
@@AFGuidesHD so that means britain is simply better at stopping chaos ten points to britain
@@AFGuidesHD They were wealthy but still less equal and undergoing industrialisation that had already happened in Britain. While Britain was stable post-industrialisation and beginning very slowly to equalise again, most other countries were going through the effects of rising inequality, which just breeds revolutionary sentiment.
@@kjn3350 Indeed, plus despite working conditions being pretty grim under industrialisation, they paid more and gave many people more chances than were previously available in agriculture. People went to the mill towns of Lancashire and Yorkshire and the mining towns of South Wales voluntarily. Otherwise the Welsh Valleys would be as empty as the similar hills of central Wales.
I love how at 2:34 the man in the background is on fire while it is raining
It's like the old saying goes: "France may be England's greatest enemy, but the rain is England's greatest threat."
no way
:D
Like how England's difficulty is Ireland's opportunity
@@toyotaprius79 I like how romes difficulty was every single barbarian nations oppotunity
@@cameroncammell8375 if that's your pejoritive
Europe Nations: “Hey why didn’t you have a Revolution?”
Britain: “Rain my friend. I was saved because of rain.”
You could say Vienna was also saved by rain during the Ottoman siege
@@peggaislag
AND THEN THE WINGED HUSSARS ARRIVED! COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAINSIDE!
In Briton, there is no such thing as ‘sun’
@@fiveninenowNOW Yeah it's freezing today.
@@rhodesiansneverdie1539 I was melting like half a week ago and now look at the weather. It’s mental that even the weather has severe mood swings
We’re going to need an entire video on how Louis-Napoleon ended up in Britain and what he was doing after
He was in Britain because he was exiled under the July Monarchy's laws, but after it got overthrown in 48 he came back and ran for president
@@bluepotato7 *ahem* PRESIDENT
@@stevemc01 I mean, he STARTED as president...
@@stevemc01 yes, he did classic presidential things such as "make the senate pay off my personal debts" and "overthrow democracy and make me the emperor"
@@bluepotato7 very presidential of the era
I know it turned out to be irrelevant, but the Duke of Wellington's plan was very insightful, it showed he understood how showing force can encourage others to feel the need to show force themselves and the escalation this can cause.
A lot of political types have zero understanding of how conflict works. For instance, most good martial artists know to avoid street fights where possible because they know of the level of uncontrolled danger involved.
Similarly, many countries have started wars that have ended in their defeat because their leaders overestimated their chances and underestimated the resistance their actions would generate. A useful example would be Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait or even Putin's war in Ukraine: Putin thought that the people of Ukraine would simply welcome him... instead, he woke the sleeping NATO beast up... he turned neutral Finland and Sweden against him, while Germany has reinvigorated its military for the first time since reunification.
@@Banana_Split_Cream_Buns Your analysis of the war in Ukraine is pitifully inaccurate
@@adamhenrywalkerAged like milk
Terrific mix of narrative and sarcasm! I don’t know how you do it every time.
Being British has something to do with it, I suppose.
"Who would later go on to find gainful employment in France."
And this is why History Matters is awesome.
(Also, his sense of humor is so dry he could have made the conditions acceptable for the Chartists to march in London).
so crazy that a Napoleon served under the Duke of Wellington to enforce law and order in Britain
His son, the fourth Napoleon, was in exile in London after his father's empire fell, and insisted on fighting in some heroic war. Despite their advice he insisted on heading over to fight the Zulus (the British wanted to hang onto him in case there was ever another Napoleonic restoration). So Napoleon IV was disembowelled by a Zulu warrior while fighting for the British.
Not that Napoleon
@@mcdxcom thats why he said "a napoleon"
You want a wild one? When the French knocked over the Corsican republic in the late 1700s, Napoleon's father was planning to make a run for it to that haven for European political exiles: England. So, yeah, but for one little chaos butterfly Napoleon might have been bought up in Britain as 'Leo Bonport' or something.
@@harbl99 Makes sense, the British were Pasquale Paoli's main ally
It’s nice to know that “can’t be arsed to fight for anything but the status quo” is a long established part of British culture
Evolution over revolution, baby!
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.
not only a British thing I might add.
@@Osterochse Yeah, but the British perfect the art of doing it in such a stylish way it is considered a cultural landmark to them.
Probably because of the extremes that came with Cromwell. Britain basically established modern day conservatism as a result of that to avoid having too crazy things happening too quickly.
Although seriously, you can see how structurally, Britain was better equipt to deal with potential unrest than more authoritarian regimes on the continent
How?
The British were terrified of a revolution after events in France and nipped it in the bud.
@@SamZZZZZ526 You don't have an absolute monarchy. It wasn't exactly what one would call democratic, but the house of commons and even to a certain extent the house of lords meant that the rallying cry of autocracy didn't ring quite as true, AND that reformists could already obtain (And in this case, embarrassingly lose) a platform.
The inversion of the "skipping through the field of flowers" staple scene, with the "Being Productive!" caption.
Brilliant as always, HM
I thought you were going to talk about the great reform... Britain came extremely close to a revolution a few decades before 1848 and the way they dealt with that is interesting
Was it raining back then as well?
@@suficer7827 it's br*tain so it rains all the time
@@smorcrux426 Why the asterix?
@@adamlakeman7240 because it's a horrifying word conjuring up terrible images of rotten teeth and poor foreign policy and should not be uttered, let alone spelt
@@smorcrux426 but.. you said Britain in the original comment?
It just wouldn’t have been proper.
After all, what would the neighbours think?
The British Monarchy: * *is threatened* *
The Rain: *"I got you fam."*
That must have been quite the strong rain because when I was in the UK, people seemed almost completely unbothered by rain most of the time - quite a few not even using an umbrella.
lmao
2:35 I love the guy on fire in the rain in the background
Major revolution in Ireland was avoided by the Great Famine. The previous year was the worst year of the famine and the blight was still destroying the crops.
(Contrary to popular belief, starving people are too exhausted to rebel. It's people who see a crisis coming that rebel.)
“It was the rain”
God proves himself the ally of the British aristocracy once again!
And did those feet in ancient time walk upon Englands pastors green
God really is an Englishman
@@Liverpool67890 Upon these dark satanic mills
So they proclaim, my pleb brain scoffs and chuckles. Royalty is humorous, often parasitic and not even mutually beneficial it’s a travesty.
ally of a bunch of gay aristocrats🤢🤮
I-
I was today years old when I learned republican Britain's flag is a brighter reverse of Hungary.
Also it's incredibly fitting that the reason why the UK didn't kick the crown was because of the weather.
"Yeah reforms are all well and good but nobody likes the rain"
I think it highly unlikely there'd been a revolution even if it was sunny and the marsch happened.
Omg thank you! I was wondering why he imposed the hungarian flag over Britain at 1:48 Lol
"Hungary inspired the irish republican flag" is not something I'd have expected to learn today, but I'm glad about it.
@@gavinowens459 Maybe the fact that it's exactly at 1:48 is an easter egg, too
@@robinrehlinghaus1944 British republican, not Irish republican. The Irish flag was inspired by the French tricolour.
This is a good skit. I love history and I love comedy; combine them together, it's gold. The 2-minute setup and punchline in 2:28 really hit. Amazing!!!
Two phrases that describe SO MUCH of history: "promptly ignored" and "but eventually."
Because James Bissonette stopped the revolutionaries before they could do anything
Facts
Nah
@@jamesbissonette8002 COMRADE, the legendary comrade is here
@@jamesbissonette8002 can I have ur autograph
Britian survived thanks to financial backing from James Bizonette
I m pretty sure he will reply ur comment
It’s also because of his ability of spinning three plates
very much
Don't forget Kelly money makers, they made more money for the Brit's.
@@South_Asian.Fascist-98 yep
They had James Bisonette as a political advisor and brought stability to England
Thanks, fun and interesting as always. Seeing you've posted a new video always brightens my day.
From memory, apparently Queen Victoria, the Duke of Wellingt9n and other luminaries of the period ‘signed’ that petition. It also led to the saying ‘it’s in the bag’ emerging as petitions are placed in a giant satchel type thing in Parliament.
Britain didn't have one in 1848 because the continent was having too many of them and Britain just had to be different
No obviously it’s because Britain is Britain.
Brexit 1848
It's all part of England's euroskepticism, courtesy King Henry VIII. If all of Europe is doing it, are we really sure it's a good thing? After all, they have a lot of bad ideas on the Continent.
This is not as inaccurate as it seems. If France do it, do the opposite. It’s a good rule.
So true,our people have saying when someone is being smartass and whining a lot we say "don't pretend to be English"
Good question.
Now do Spain, and also why German Revolutions were unsuccessful in 1848.
I can answer the German one with one word: Grapeshot
@@nikoclesceri2267 And the King of Prussia didn't want a crown from the gutter.
Glad to see a new video, love the content keep it up man.
Anti-revolution Pitch Meeting:
"Must've been hard to not have a revolution in the UK."
"Actually it was super easy. Barely an inconvenience."
Having a revolution is tight
"Oh, really?"
1:10 great variation on the "running through fields of daisies" motif.
Also, Britain was transporting anyone who might cause trouble to Australia - including Chartist leaders like William Cuffay. That, and free migration of people with no economic opportunities to the colonies meant that there weren’t as many potential rebels in the UK come 1848. Chartists went on to play a major role in establishing democratic institutions in places like Australia and New Zealand. Cuffay’s life is fascinating. He was the son of an English woman and an African man in the Caribbean and was a political activist his whole life.
TLDR: sending your working class people to take over other people’s countries makes revolution at home less likely.
"Wait, if we're underwater then how can be a Fire?" 2:35
Fun fact: a young Allan Pinkerton was involved in the chartist movement for a time before later immigrating to America and founding the Pinkerton detective agency.
Those goddamn Pinkertons are everywhere!
Talk about team switching
By the end was fighting for the owns he wanted overthrow, just in a different place at a different.
Once again History Matters has taught me more about history than I learned in school.
Here are a few video suggestions
1. Why did Britain enter WW1?
2. Why didn't Britain and France aid the Confederacy?
3. Why did Texas join the United States?
4. Why didn't North and South Korea reunite?
They've done them, or most of them.
Britian and France were threatened by the Union. The East Coast was blocked off, and has the UK and France been able to send aid, they would have been seen as sympathizers of Slavery which until the Battle of Gettysburg had been a non-issue.
the guy burning while its raining 🤣 I love this channel
The weather over the British isle truly shaped a whole millennia of history
"It was the rain"
As a person whose never been to England my picture of England is that it's always raining or threatening rain or a good chance of rain. Wouldn't rain stop stuff constantly in England if they were always worried about it? 😉
Why do you think we conquered all those foreign places? So we could go somewhere it wasn't f*cking raining all the time
Why did you think so many English people left England when they wanted fame and fortune?
You are correct, and when it doesn't rain we complain it's too hot.
@@Huckleberry.69 indeed
It was 40 degrees Celsius last week in England and high 30s in the rest of the UK. Literally the day after it was 18 degrees, grey, and raining by me and hasn't changed since....
1:48 ah yes the greatest fear of the 19th century British Government, Hungarian invasion
It’s the British republican colours
Basically the upside down Hungarian flag tho
@@NewestLatest It is a correct Hungarian flag
@@Zuzentasun oh that means it is an incorrect British republican flag
nice video as always!
Again the level of detail in the video animation is freaking amazing
Video idea: Why hasn’t the US invaded Cuba since the fall of the USSR?
As an American, I find this a good question! After all, without a superpower to protect Cuba, who would stop a hypothetical US invasion?
us pledged not to at the end of the Cuban missile crisis
Americans are so pro war it’s insane.
Two major reasons: Cuba more clearly now isn't communist (it never was) so America doesn't really fear it much anymore,
It'd be incredibly unpopular domestically and internationally, whatever president signed off would not see the end of it.
"Here's a truncheon. Go and hit someone with it!" Got a giggle at that.
A revolution in the U.K. being cancelled because of a slight drizzle is perhaps the most British thing I have ever heard of. I guess that truly the flames of revolution cannot burn if there is rain. 🤷🏻♂️🌧️ 🇬🇧🍵😂
Honestly, it makes sense that the isles didn’t experience revolution since, given they are islands, people could just up and leave whenever they felt things were not in their best interest, which they did as emigration from the Isles to the US during this time, was massive.
Ironically this is also why emigration from Scandinavia was almost non-existent during this time, as the Scandinavian Governments reinforced their practices of providing incentives for their populations not to leave
Immigration or emigration? Your comment seems contradictory to me, or I am possibly not understanding it right.
To clarify; You speak that since they are islands, people can leave. But then you talk about immigration to the US, instead of emigration.
But couldn’t people from France leave as they were right on the coast of the Atlantic and Mediterranean?
But wouldn't the fact that its an island make it HARDER to leave? you can always sneak to another country by foot or inside some transportation, but when you are surrounded by water, things get more complicated. I dunno
@@BrotherHood-xh9sg Sorry for the mistake on my end got it corrected now; thank you for the correction. 🙂
@@BrotherHood-xh9sg in the US the topic is often called “immigration” as from the US perspective that’s what it was. So Americans will often use the phrase immigration to US rather than Emigration to US
What a very interesting and knowledgeable audience you have, lots of fun
(and educational) reading all the comments. Thankyou
The best animated sideburns on UA-cam
One thing to consider is that up until the American and French Revolutions, the UK had been the leader of liberalism in the world. So they had achieved many things in steps that were taken a lot earlier from the 12th century _Magna Carta_ to the 17th century Glorious Revolution. So at the beginning of the 19th century, the UK was a Bourgeois liberal ruled society and by the end of the 19th century, it had moved to having the beginnings of more of a social liberal democracy. However, prior to the French Revolution, France was an absolute monarchy, as were the German/HRE states. Russia was also an absolute monarchy right up until the beginning of the 20th century, hence its revolutions in 1917 were far more drastic.
1:09 Wait, not frolicking through the flowers is illegal.
Bismarck didn't do it aswell
Classic Britain.
"Oi mate it's raining, we can't go to demonstrate now."
"Yeah, terrible idea to march in the rain, innit?"
"The poors want stuff." The nightmare scenario of the 1% for 200 years.
Was it an unusually strong rainstorm or thunderstorm or something? Because I’ve lived in London before and a bit of rain stops nothing. People just pull out an umbrella or put on an overcoat or whatever and go about their business. There has to be more to what stopped the march than a bit of rain.
Belgium too somewhat narrowly avoided revolution in 1848. It was an important success for the Belgian state which at that point had only existed for about 18 years. It proved the new state was stable and further cemented Belgium's status as an independent nation.
This may be interesting to do a video on. Or perhaps one called "Why didn't Belgium become a Republic?". Interesting and funny stories to be told there. For example, at one point during the revolution of 1830, symbol of the revolution Louis de Potter, who was a republican, threatened to fellow revolutionaries that he would declare a republic at once, standing on the balcony before the masses in Brussel. He was stopped from doing so only under threat of being thrown down the balcony... Eventually Belgium became a monarchy because this was the only way to gain support from the anti-French monarchist powers and other conservative forces. However, the republican faction, as well as organist faction, would only truly stop being a threat to the new Belgian constitutional monarchy from 1848 on.
Parallel to this, however, was the Irish Potato Famine which was still affecting the populace in that the 47 harvest was fairly poor. There was an attempt at rebellion that went nowhere because the famine left the populace too weak and destitute to mount opposition.
@Sam Wallace There was a rebellion in Ireland in 1848. The presenter is wrong.
Dry your eyes.
@Sam Wallace It's almost like the Irish people were victims of English imperialism, and that Westminster had great power in oppressing them.
@Sam Wallace Sorry, I don't speak illiterate.
@Sam Wallace How humiliating for you! LOL.
@Sam Wallace You just had your face firmly pushed into the mud of the intellectual battlefield.
You know it. I know it. We both know it.
LOL
The conditions in Britain were so awful that between about 1810 and 1910 ten million emigrated from Britain. Emigration was encouraged to reduce poverty and elevate the excessive population growth. Most Emigration was to North America and Australia. After events in France the British government were prepared to suppress any attempt at revolt. People just left.
Great episode! Also as a fun side fact, the image at the end of the man ice skating is a recreation of the painting, "The Skating Minister" At least, I think it is
1:59 that horse has a hat
Just noticed it. 😅😅😅😅
This brings a whole new meaning to rain rain go away, these younglins are damn revolutionaries.
I really appreciate the effort you’ve put into these videos, they are informative.
But you do speak rather fast! And I had to stop and rewind when that document came up halfway through so I could read it!
The figures you gave for the number of men who could vote after 1832 were presumably for the UK as a whole, for England and Wales I think it was 20%?
And I suppose it is too much to ask nowadays that a British person doing a video on British history might do it in British English, rather than, like, the American variety! I’m quite sure that none of the chartists complained about things “sucking”. I suppose the police constables might have been told “here is a truncheon, go and hit someone with it”, but probably not “here is a truncheon, go hit someone with it”.
taking the time to read those papers is definitely worth it. those bits keep getting funnier every time.
0:09 The cannon slowly showing up 😂
I'm having a hard time believing that rain stopped play in this case. Rain doesn't stop much here. I'm thinking that rain was the excuse given when the Chartists realised that they had overestimated their numbers.
Probably, the 100,000 constables and the presence of the army also probably caused all the radicals to go to ground and them to realise that they wouldn't be able to use the momentum of the situation topple parliaments control of the situation, though the rain probably did keep away the habitually aggrieved who usually form a considerable contingent of any such movement.
Forging the petition had nothing to do with it, I suppose?
0:28
It's funny that you put Queen Maria II of Portugal in the stability club because in the 40's Portugal was in the middle of a civil war between absolutists, moderate liberals, radical liberals ,religious people, anti-clericalists and still counted on the intervention of Spain and England.
This is a big reason Canada is peaceful people. It’s hard to start a revolution when you have to shovel 4ft of snow every other day.
Even during the Trucker Protest propane tanks were key to provide heat and were eventually seized by RCMP, which essentially ended the protest
"Louis-Napoleon, who would later on find gainful employment in France". This is a great summary of Napoleon III.
I put on your videos to brighten my day.
Learning with a smile.
I actually think you missed an really important part, the fact that Methodism and Christianity particularly spread across working class communities, such as the Nazarene movement, salvation army and Pentecostalism, but particularly the holiness movement. This in itself was responding to social issues on such a scale, that I think it changed the landscape. Schools, hospitals etc all set up by the church to help the poor.
I think another important factor is that countries in Western Europe like the UK and Spain had a safety valve - the colonies. Disgruntled citizens just moved abroad. In the late 1800s other Western European countries like Germany and nations in Scandinavia found this valve too. I wonder if the French Revolution would have even happened if it didn’t lose its colonies in the Seven Years War
France had a tougher restrictions on movement of it's citizens due to the fact that the king and the nobility had most of the power, compare to Britain which had a parliament and a monarchy with limited powers , which made it easier for anyone to migrate from British Isles to the colonies.this one of the reasons why Britain won seven years war
Quite impressive that O'Connor's petition received signatures that totaled in the millions for that time.
You must have missed the bit about how most of the signatures were like Ivor Biggun, I P Freely, and R Spandet
Funny how you said the rain, and it started pouring where I live in New England.
Thank you for saying "raise the question" instead of incorrectly using "beg the question" like so many people should know better.
The Chartists' demands were also very radical and numerous, and the movement was associated with violence rather than genuine desire for change, so the government was much less willing/likely to listen
Annual Parliaments also seems like a terrible idea for stability
0:08 and in Switzerland, Sweden, Wallachia, Moldavia, Poland and Belgium
And Denmark
Moldova*
Ah, that feeling when even the heavens cry for the sake of the British Monarchy
Never really connected the dots until now but the closing down of working man's clubs over the last 50 years is pretty clearly part of the trend of taking power away from the working class
Your videos are really great! Thanks for teaching everyone so much history in a fun way.
2:10 ah yes, I Totally Remember When A Former Prime Minister and eventual French Emperor Where police officers in The United Kingdom
From stopping to leading a revolution…
I like to think us Irish would have been ground zero for it at the time if the famine hadnt hollowed out much of local civic framework
There was a rebellion in Tipperary in 1848.
2:04 that skull lmao
Keep it up mate love the videos
I like how it was rain that stopped the march
Video Proposal: Why are there two Dominicans?
Funny how Europe has had revolutions and rebellions galore to topple dictatorships and bring about freedom but the UK, who never really did was usually the first one to introduce liberty and never really fell to extreme governments like fascism/communism. One of the first countries in Europe (and often the world) to abolish serfdom, slavery, put checks and balances on Monarchs, human rights, economic rights, etc.
That's not to say it didn't happen, but it was at a fraction of the frequency of the mainland.
The UK had multiple rebellions in Ireland throughout the entirety of it's existence. In fact the 1801 Act of Union came about BECAUSE of the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland
As a presumed Irish nationalist you would surely admit whoever that the Irish don't count and their opinions were largely a matter for the military budget.
Surprised you didn’t mention the Irish revolution that year when the tricolor flag was inaugurated
Progress was being made, just slowly. Also the fact the government wanted to be prepared but not incite was very wise. Wellington certainly added credibility to having a competent professional responce.
Absolutely love it, such a British thing haha, and the humor is great!
Also, the guy NOT running through the field of flowers = priceless.
1848 Europe: So what saved you from a Revolution?
British Parliament: The rain
1848Europe: A rain of bullets?
British Parliament: No, just a rainy day.