Britain’s Foreign Policy: 1815 – 1870

I. Introduction

II. High Water Mark for British Imperial Power

A. Possible Rivals: France and Russia

B. Military Strength?

1. Army

2. Navy

III. European Diplomacy in the Mid-Victorian Period

A. Tensions with Concert of Europe

B. Issue of Greek Independence (1823-1832)

C. Revolutions of 1830
1. France – Belgium – Poland

2. Treaty of London (1831)

3. Early Foreign Policy of Lord Palmerston

IV. The Crimean War

A. Russia and Britain in the Eastern Question

1. Genuine Differences

2. Misunderstandings

B. Russian Occupation of Moldavia and Wallachia

C. Response: French – British – Turkish

D. Progress of the War & Victory

E. Highlighting Britain’s Deficiencies

V. Frustration of Britain’s Foreign Policy

A. Masking the Problems

B. Setbacks in European Diplomacy

1. example of Italian Unification

2. example of German Unification

VI. Conclusion: 1870 and the End of an Era

Key Terms

Concert of Europe

George Canning

Lord Palmerston

Crimean War

Moldavia and Wallachia

Sevastopol

Italian Unification

Schleswig-Holstein

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