POLAND: THE DEMISE OF A PARTITIONED COUNTRYBy Abbie D., Jamie D., Cade G., Dylan M., and Cassie R.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Constitutional-King must be elected

Largest European State-Stretches 800 miles East across Europe -From Black Sea to Baltic Sea

Ruled by Russian puppet Stanislas Stanislas controlled by Catherine II (1762-1796)

Made up of two parts: -The Poland Proper: Western Kingdom-Grand Duchy of Lithuania

• Population made up mostly of Germans and German Jews

• Szlachta- Polish Aristocracy-Made up 8% of population

• Political Parties: Pro-French & Pro- Swiss

• No nationalism

• Useless government

• Its ultimate disappearance was a blow to France

-used it to spread French influence throughout Eastern Europe

TERMS Liberum Veto- free veto could be used

Jacobinism- one who supports Central Republic

Aristocracy- Upper Class

Szlachta- Polish Aristocracy

Partition- the action of being divided

Muscotives- persons from Russia

“Balance of Power”- nations having equal

power or one nation having more power than

the others

Puppet State- other countries controlled its affairs

EVENTS 1660: East Prussian Fief became

independent from Polish crown

1667: Muscovites re-conquered Smolensk and kiev

1733: Election precipitated the war of Polish Succession

-Polish Patriots wanted to get rid of Liberum Veto-opposed by foreign powers

1763: Election of King Stanislas-Orchestrated by Catherine II (former lovers)-Catherine declared herself protector of Polish Liberties

1772: War between Turkey and Russia-Weaked Turkish Empire-Russia took hold of Balance of Power

• War Turkey vs. Russia Cont.-Austria and Prussia were wary of Russia

• 1772: First Partition-To prevent an Austro-Russian war -Stated that Austria, Prussia, Russia can annex land from Poland

• 1791: Polish reformers create constitution

• 1792: Russia and Prussia invade Poland-leads to 2nd partition

• 1793: Second Partition-between Russia and Prussia-only small central part was left

• 1795: Third Partition-Austria, Prussia, and Russia divided up what was left of Poland-Poland no longer existed

PEOPLE Catherine II (Catherine the Great)- longest ruling female, influenced her power in Poland

Alexander I- Czar of Russia, First King of Poland, wanted to liberalize his country’s

government, son of Catherine II

Stanislas Poniatowski- Russian (Puppet) King, Catherine II’s former lover, controlled by

Catherine

Thaddeus Kosciusko- lead revolution to propose the abolition of serfdom in 1794

Maria Sobieski- grand-daughter of James III Sobieski, Polish, noble woman

GOVERNMENT Absolutist State

Elected Kings

No nationalism; no one cares

Not paid attention to; useless

Because it was a puppet state, it was controlled by other countries; the

government was not needed

No national middle class

Internal division: Germans vs. Polish

WAS ABSOLUTISM SUCCESSFUL?

Absolutism was not successful in Poland They did not have a real ruler

-he was a puppet figure

Completely taken over by Austria, Russia, and Prussia They were not strong enough to fight them off Austria, Prussia, and Russia became stronger from the partition of Poland; Poland was ultimately destroyed by it