However, beneath the tide of reaction, the principles of the Revolution survived. The two positive forces in politics for the 19th century were to be democracy and nationality. The league of princes compelled them to work un derground; but before the middle of the cen tury they emerged in three series of revolutions —In 1820, 1830 and 1848.
The revolutions of 1820 started in Spain, to re-establish the Constitution of 1812, which had been adopted first during the war for Inde pendence. Completely successful there for the time, the movement spread swiftly over the southern peninsulas—to Portugal and to the states of North and South Italy, while it stimulated the Greeks rising against the Turks. Metternich found a weapon of repression ready. After Waterloo the four great allies, Russia, Prussia, Austria and England, had agreed to preserve their union against revolutionary France by holding occasional congresses. Met ternich now summoned these powers to the Congress of Troppau. Here the despotic mas ters of Russia, Austria and Prussia signed an agreement to unite in putting down revolution against any established government. England protested and withdrew from the alliance; but her place was taken by France, and the united despots, popularly known as the "Holy Al liance,° proceeded to carry out the Troppau program. With overwhelming armies they crushed constitutionalism in Naples and Pied 'mont, and a little later in Spain. England's fleet preserved the little sea-coast country of Portugal from attack; and the tsar's sympathy for his Greek coreligionists held Metternich from aiding Turkey. Portugal and Greece were the only European lands to reap good from the widespread risings of this period.
American Progress.— Greater gain there was, however, outside Europe. The "Holy Alli ance," successful in Spain, wishNi to restore monarchic control over revolted Spanish Amer ica. Here they failed. When Napoleon seized Spain (1808), the Spanish colonies, nominally loyal to the old Spanish dynasty, began to taste the sweets of economic and political freedom, They were powerfully influenced, too, by the success of the United States ; and soon they be gan, one after another, to avow independence not only of Napolemi, but also of the mother country. The United States had recognized
their independence. England had not done this; but now she interposed her sea-power to shield them against the proposed attack by the °Holy Alliance.° England indeed urged the United States to join in a formal alliance to protect Spanish America. The United States chose to act separately, but it did act along the same line; in 1823 President Monroe's message an nounced that this country would oppose any attempt of the despotic powers to extend their political system to America. Thus was born a group of new nations. For more than 50 years, it is true, the best of the new states manifested anarchic tendencies; but before the close of the 19th century some of them began to make steady and promising progress ingov ernment and society. Their constitutions have been modeled generally upon that of the United States.
Before returning to Europe, brief attention should be Riven to the progress of the United States itself in the generation following the French Revolution. The Constitution of 1787 saved the 13 States of that time from falling apart into jangling, insignificant units, and gave the world an advanced type of federal govern ment. Jefferson's peaceful °revolution° of 1800 marked the resumption of progress toward democracy and Americanization, which the aristocratic reaction just after the Revolution ary War had interrupted. The Louisiana Pur chase (1803) doubled the territory of the coun try and confirmed its destiny as the home of a mighty continental nation. During the closing Napoleonic struggles, the contemptuous disre gard of England for the rights of neutrals, to gether with the treacheries of Napoleon, in volved America in war with England; but, be yond this, except for the enunciation of the Monroe Doctrine, the United States, busied with its marvelous growth at home, had kept free from foreign complications. At the moment of the European revolutions of 1820, the great American republic was entering on the 40 years of anti-slavery debate which pre ceded the Civil War.