1. INDEPENDENCE OF
BELGIUM

2. INTRODUCTION
Belgium is a state in Western Europe.
It is home to two main linguistic
groups, the Dutch-speakers,
mostly Flemish, and the French-
speakers, plus a small group
of German-speakers. Belgium's two
largest regions are the Dutch-
speaking region of Flanders in the
north and the French-speaking
southern region of Wallonia.

3. During the last
two millenia, the
area nowadays
taken up by
Belgium has
undergone
significant
demographic,
political and
cultural changes.

4.  In the Belgian Revolution of
1830 the habitants of the
southern provinces of the
Kingdom of Netherlands
fought against the northern
provinces, mostly
Protestants. In a few weeks
during August and
September, the rebellion
achieved the division of
Flandes and Wallonia and
the Belgian formation. Only
part of Luxembourg
remained in personal union
with the United Kingdom of
the Netherlands until 1890.

5. The other great powers, Austria,
Prussia and Russia joined to build
an intermediate state between
theirselves and France was made
up of the former Republic of the
Seven United Netherlands, the old
Austrian Netherlands and Liège,
which would become the United
Kingdom of the Netherlands.

7. LINGUISTIC CONFLICT
In 1815, 218,000
of those living in
the south were
illiterate. Guiller-
mo I concentrated
his efforts in this
field: in the fifteen
years of his reign
1,500 schools were
built in the south.
There, the local
language was
taught.

8. RELIGIOUS OPPOSITION
 The United Kingdom of the Netherlands was
made up of Catholics and Protestants. The
southern state had long been Roman
Catholic, while in the north was the national
church of Calvinism.
Guillermo I professed German Lutheranism.
He tried to isolate the Catholic Church from
the influence of the Roman Curia, appointed
his own bishops and started a polemic with
the schools, abolishing the free Catholic
education.

9. LIBERAL REIVINDICATION
At the end of 1820’s a group of
young liberals oriented towards
anticlericalism that supported
Guillermo I appeared. This
generation was influenced by the
French liberals, that were also
against the church headed by
Carlos X.
This group of young liberals
exercised great influence. Joseph
Lebeau, Charles Rogier, Louis de
Potter, Jean-Baptiste Nothomb
and Benjamin Constant were all
members.

10. POLITICAL CRISIS
Since liberals gathered in 1825 and
Catholics were supported by the king,
the union of the kingdom was in a
permanent crisis. In 1829 the quarrels
between the King and the Liberals
were further aggravated.
The king turned the country into an
absolute monarchy, removing the
constitution and parliament and
politically dividing north and south.

11. The Revolution of 27th
of July, 1830
overthrew King
Charles X of France
in Paris three days
later and Luis Felipe
I was crowned,
establishing a
constitutional
monarchy. This
liberal revolution had
a lot of support in
Belgium and
radicalised the
environment.

12. THE RIOTS OF AUGUST
On the 25th of
August, 1830 during
a performance of the
opera La Muette de
Portici at La Monnaie
the public cried "Vive
la liberté!". After the
end of the play the
audience left the
theater and the
crowd that had
gathered to celebrate
the anniversary of
King William I, went
out of control.

13. THE REVOLUTION OF SEPTEMBER
 The late and unfortunate
intervention of Guillermo I and
his son led to a final break in
September. These actions were
interpreted as those of a force of
occupation. The troops remained
temporarily in Vilvoorde and
Prince Guillermo met with the
bourgeoisie of Brussels.
 On 23 September the army
entered Brussels. The people's
anger turned into a national
uprising.

14. THE FORMATION OF THE BELGIAN
STATE
 Provisional Government
During the fighting, a committee was formed on
23 September by Brussels dignitaries to try to
control the rebellion. On September 29 the
committee said that they assumed control of the
government and proclaimed the independence of
the Belgian provinces on October 4 and two days
later appointed a commission to draft a
constitution. Also called a court, the general
administration organized an election for
Congress. They started to call this committee a
"provisional government."

15. NATIONAL CONGRESS
3rd November elections
were held in the National
Congress. The population
that had the right to vote
were men over 25 who
paid high taxes. Congress
met on 10thNovember
for the first time and
declared independence
for Belgium on 4th
October . The first
president was Erasme
Louis Surlet Chokier. On
25th February of 1831 the
provisional government
was relieved of his
responsibilities. The
National Congress
existed until the first
elected parliament meton
8th September, 1831

16.  Since 4th December, the provisional government
debated on the model of the constitution to be adopted
on 7th February in Congress with few modifications.
 The constitution was a synthesis of the French
constitutions of 1791, 1814 and 1830, the constitution
of the Netherlands in 1815 and English constitutional
law. The fundamental principles of the Constitution
were the separation of legislative, executive and
judicial powers, formation of parliament and
appointing the main institution.
THE CONSTITUTION

17.  The king and the minister exercised the
executive government’s power, though the
king's power was severely restricted.
 The parliament consisted of two houses: the
Congress and the Senate.
 Many individual rights were recognised:
equality before the law and the right to
personal freedoms, such as the right to
possession, belief, religion, opinion, assembly
and press.
 Members would be elected by voting census
suffrage, which only allowed two percent of
the population to vote.

18.  Despite the restrictions on suffrage, the
constitution was the most progressive and
liberal of his time, and the Belgian state is
considered the first constitutional monarchy.

19. THE MONARCHY
Many names
were considered
to receive the
crown.
Finally, the
crown of
Belgium was
given to Prince
Leopold, against
the protests of
the Catholic
clergy.

21. ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR BELGIUM
 The immediate consequences were disastrous for the
independence of Belgium. The majority of workers
lost their jobs and employees were reduced to 30% of
1829 levels. On the other hand, they obtained great
benefits from the construction of a railway
network. On 5th of June, 1832 introduced the new
currency, the Belgian franc, and in 1835 the Banque
de Belgique was founded.

22. LINGUISTIC POLICY
Reflecting the linguistic
and educational policy
of King Guillermo I, the
Flemish language was
favored. One of the first
acts of the provisional
government was to
close all public schools.
The Belgian linguistic
conflict was resolved,
but intensified. As a
reaction against the
policy of the
Netherlands,
Francophones were
more priveledged.

23. NATIONAL PRIDE
 Before the revolution of
1830 had developed
national pride. Three
ideas have been in conflict
since the founding of the
Belgian state: The nation
of Belgium, orientation
towards France and
orientation towards the
Netherlands.
Despite all, Belgium was
able to establish itself as a
stable state which still
preserves its foundations
of 1830.

24. BELGIAN NEUTRALITY
Belgian neutrality, stipulated in
1830/39, was violated in 1914 by
Germany in the operation known
as the Schlieffen Plan. The fact
that Belgium didn´t participate in
a single war for 84 years is
considered one of the biggest
successes of nineteenth-century
diplomacy.

25. BY:
• Isabel Romero Cabrera
• Clara Robles Estévez
• Mª Ángeles Vázquez Martín
• Fátima Aguilar del Castillo