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