Nationalism Leads to the Unification of Germany and Italy

Unit 6: Western Nationalism and Revolutions (1789 – 1900)

Nationalism: Unity or Disunity? Nationalism –

loyalty and love for one’s nation and culture. The most powerful force of the 1800s. It made countries and broke countries. It also upset the balance of power in Europe established by the Congress of Vienna.

Nationalism in Action Germany & Italy –

Politically divided, but culturally similar (Unification)

Greece & Fr. Canada -Culturally different breaks away from state or tries to (Separation)

U.S. & Turkey – Culturally distinct groups buy into one culture (State-building)

The Breakup of the Austrian Empire

1866 – Austro-Prussian War – Prussia wins in 7 weeks & forms North German Confederation (Prussia + 21 smaller Ger. States)

Emperor Franz Joseph (Hapsburg) split Austria & Hungary into 2 separate nations with him the ruler of both. Nationalism would continue to hammer away at Austria-Hungary and it broke up for good after WW I as we will later see.

The Russian Empire Crumbles Czars ruled empire (Russians,

Ukrainians, Poles, Finns, & others) for 370 years.

Czar Alexander III (Romanov Dynasty) began program of Russification – forcing their culture onto other groups and Pogroms – massacres of Jews in late 19th Century.

This actually strengthened nationalist feelings and led to revolution in 1917 and overthrow of the czar for a communist dictatorship.

The Ottoman Empire Weakens Ruled by Turks, they controlled

Greeks, Slavs, Arabs, Bulgarians, & Armenians.

1856 – Great Britain pressured them into granting all people equal rights of citizenship.

Conservative Turks massacred and deported Armenians (most were Christians) in 1894-96 & in 1915. WW I would mark collapse of Ottoman Empire too.

The Unification of Italy (1858-1870)

Much of Italy had been controlled by foreign nations prior to 1848.

1852 – Piedmont-Sardinia’s King Victor Emanuel II named Count Camillo di Cavour his Prime Minister. He set out to unite Northern Italy.

1858 – Napoleon III helped Sardinia drive out the Austrians & they controlled all of N. Italy except Venetia (Austria).

Giuseppe Garibaldi Brings Unity

Aided by Cavour, he raised rebel army in S. Italy.

1860 – the “Red-shirted One” captured Sicily.

Crossed into mainland & went north and united S. Italy with Sardinia with Victor Emanuel as King of Italy. This meeting in Naples was arranged by Cavour and Garibaldi agreed to step aside.

1866 – annexed Venetia (Venice) 1870 – Papal States taken by

Italian forces except for Vatican City (controlled by Pope today)

The Unification of Germany (1861-1871)

1815 – 1st step – German Confederation

Prussia leads the way. Austria (also Ger. – speaking) was too diverse. Plus Prussia had greatest army in Europe and in 1848 riots gave it a liberal constitution.

1861 – King Wilhelm I succeeded King Frederick William to the throne and he chose Count Otto von Bismarck as his Prime Minister.

Bismarck Practices Realpolitik

The “Politics of Reality”; he was known as the “Blood & Iron” statesmen.

He was a wealthy Junker, a conservative, who ruled for the King without Parliament or a budget.

1864 war with Denmark. Victory aided unification of N. Germany.

1866 – Seven Weeks War defeated Austria & won more German land.

The problem was how to unify S. Germany as the majority were Catholics in the South.

The Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)

Bismarck devised a plan to provoke France into attacking Prussia.

Prussia invaded France in September 1870 and crushed main French force at the Battle of Sedan. Emperor Napoleon III was among 83,000 French prisoners.

Paris surrounded and besieged; France surrendered in Jan. 1871.

German unification complete. King Wilhelm I was now the Kaiser of the Second Reich.

Exit Slip – Unification of Germany and Italy

1. All of the empires were weakened during the second half of the 19th Century excepta. Russian b. Austrian c. Prussia d. Ottoman

2. Count Cavour’s nation of ______ led the way in the quest to unify Italy.a. Sicily b. Sardinia c. Venetia d. Lombardy

3. He was Germany’s “Blood & Iron” Prime Minister most responsible for Germany’s unification?a. Bismarck b. von Moltke c. Garibaldi d. Himmler

4. After Prussia’s smashing defeat of _______ in 1871 Germany became unified.a. Russia b. Austria c. France d. Denmark