The 19th Century, 1800 - 1899 War with The United Kingdom

1849 Constitution

February 1848 a new revolution started at Paris. All over Europe the revolution in Paris was making people demanding more freedom, also in Denmark.

March the 20th there is a meeting in Copenhagen, where it was decided that the Danes shall demands a free constitution. It is nearly a revolution, but one of the leaders said "let us sleep and wait till tomorrow".

The next day a procession of 15,000 people was marching to the kings castle, but already before they arrived, it was decided that Denmark should have a new and free constitution. The absolute monarchy has ended after nearly 200 years.

After about a years negotiations, the Danish free constitution is signed by the king June the 5th 1849.

The most important statements from the constitution are:

• A constitutional monarchy
• A parliament with 2 houses
• All men, who are at least 30 years has suffrage

It is not a parliamentary system Denmark got, the king still selects the government in the way he think it shall be.

1848-1851 The 1st Slesvian War

Since 1830 there has been growing national feelings among the Germans and the Danes living in the duchies, Slesvig, Holstein, and Lauenburg. The Germans want all 3 duchies to be German, the Danes want the duchies to stay Danish.

For hundred of years Denmark didn't do anything to make the people of the duchies feeling like Danes, more and more of the people were talking German and felling like Germans. From the beginning of the 19th century Denmark is trying to make the duchies more Danish, but it is too late.

In the duchy Holstein begins a revolt. Denmark sends troops to Holstein and April the 9th 1848 Denmark had a victory.

April the 12th the German Union appreciate the rebellian government in Kiel, and a Preussian army defeated the Danes and occupy the half of Jutland. The war in the duchies hasn't end yet, and because the Preussians withdraw their troops from the war Denmark is winning and in January 1851 the war is over. The German qustion is not solved and instead there is more hate between the Danes and the Germans.

The trade between Denmark and the rest of the world is more and more facing the west. In 1848 the 1st steamer is leaving Aarhus and is sailing over Hjerting (Esbjerg) to England.

The Danish colonies in Africa (Ghana) are sold to Great Britain for 10,000 pound Sterling, which is about 1,600,000 US-dollars in todays (1998) money. In the beginning of the negotiations the Danes demands 285,000 pound Sterling.

May 1840 England gave out the first postage stamp in the world. This way of using the postal service was a great success and countries all over the world began to issue postal stamps. The 1st Danish postal stamp was issued April the 1st 1851.

1854 is the State Telegraph Service opened with a telegraphnet about 530 km (329 miles) with connections to the rest of Europe via Hamburg.