 What is nationalism?  What event did we study this year where a group of common people displayed nationalism in a violent way?  At this time in Europe, many countries and kingdoms have a foreign monarch in power.  If you were a citizen of a country that had a King that was a different nationality than you and the people of your country, would you be happy?  What would you and the people of your country want instead?

 Nationalism is commonly defined as a love for one's country.  Historically, however, nationalism takes on a far greater meaning. Throughout history, large groups of people who share a cultural identity (language, customs, history) have felt the pulling power of nationalistic feeling.  The spirit of nationalism also includes the belief that one's nation is better off as an autonomous state.  Autonomy is defined as a nation governing itself independently from a centralized point.  Still another aspect of nationalism is the willingness to go to extreme measures in achieving autonomous self- rule.

 Revolutions, wars, ethnic tension, and other conflicts of varying degrees have occurred throughout history because of a love for one's country.  The spirit of nationalism has shaped the histories and destinies of many countries.  Nationalism can unite people into cohesive, stable nations.  Likewise, it can tear nations apart which can result in long periods of social upheaval and political chaos.

 Last week we discussed the European response to the decision made at the Congress of Vienna.  Many revolutions all over Europe took place due to power being restored back to the monarchs.  These revolutions frightened many of the newly appointed rulers in Europe.  Although many of these revolutions failed, countries in Western Europe were forever changed by the French Revolution.  One country that wanted to prevent revolutionary ideas form affecting their way of life was Russia. portal.com/academy/lesson/nationalism-grows-in- europe-timeline-events-impact.html#lesson

 During the French Revolution, the slogan “liberty, equality, and fraternity” was the battle cry for many revolutionaries.  Russia wanted to make sure that these revolutionary ideas would not influence their own people to rebel.  Unlike many of the Western European nations, Russia changed very little in the 1800’s.  The Russian Empire was ruled by a czar, or ruler holding absolute power.

 Russian Czars resisted reforms, fearing that change would weaken their control.  Czars refused to introduce elements of democracy into their societies.  Russia practiced a strict form of feudalism, where powerful landowning nobles forced serfs to work the land for little or no pay.  Serfs would then owe military service to their noble if a war were to break out.

 Russia was a vast empire with many different ethnic minorities.  The czars wanted to maintain tight control over these minorities, as well as promote Russian nationalism.  This policy of Russification, was an attempt to make all the different ethnic minorities living in Russia think, act, and believe as Russians.  Russian Czars often persecuted non-Russians including Poles, Ukraninans, and Armenians.  Russian Czars wanted one language (Russian), and one religion (Russian Orthodox).

 These restrictions on religion caused conflict with Jews living in Russia,  Jews were not allowed to have certain jobs and were not allowed to live in certain areas in Russia.  These policies encouraged violent attacks on Jews, known as pogroms.  Russian authorities stood by and watched the homes of Jews burned and their businesses looted.

 How did Czarist Russia attempt to limit the spread of revolutionary ideas to their empire?  knQ0

 Who was Otto Von Bismarck?  What did he believe was needed in order to unify Germany?

 What does the word unification mean?  How does the word unification relate to our discussion of nationalism?

 In the early 1800’s, most German speaking people lived in small states, to which they felt loyalty to.  After Napoleon was defeated, the once French ruled Germans wanted to be unified.  Prussia was one of the small states that made up Germany, but became very powerful.  Prussia set up a trade union, known as the Zollverein, and was a step toward unity.  Before, German states were not allowed to trade with one another

 Otto Von Bismarck was appointed Chancellor of Prussia  Bismarck was a strong, disciplined leader who played a key role in unifying Germany.  Bismarck believed the only way to unify Germany was through a process he called “blood and iron”.  He believed the only way to unite the German states was through war.  In seven years, he led Prussia into three wars, all of which he won.

 Blood represented the sacrifices the German people would have to make in achieving the goal of unification.  A culture of militarism, or the glorification of the military, was created by the crafty Bismarck.  This played out in a series of wars against the Austrians and the French.  Iron represented the need to industrialize. Bismarck saw that in order to be a world power, Germany would have to catch up with much of the rest of Europe in the areas of technology and factory production.  In 1871, Bismarck succeeded in placing Wilhelm on the throne of a unified Germany.  German power achieved through nationalism would foster a period of imperialization and would set the stage for the outbreak of World War I.

 Danish War- Prussia allied with Austria and defeated Denmark  Austro-Prussian War- Prussia then turned against Austria, defeating them in just seven weeks.  Franco-Prussian War- Bismarck used nationalism and the bitter memories of Napoleon's conquest to stir up support for war against France. Prussia easily defeated the French  In 1871, the independent German states became united with the help of Bismarck, under the rule of Kaiser William I.

 The political structure of the Italian peninsula prior to 1861 was that of a split group of small kingdoms and principalities.  There was no political cohesion while internal fighting and rivalries were hampering any progress.  However, the people of the Italian peninsula, shared language, culture and a historical background.  Some Italian leaders began calling for nationalism with the goal of bringing Italy together into a sovereign (free) nation-state with autonomous rule.  The most famous of Italian nationalistic leaders were Count Camilo Cavour, Guiseppe Garibaldi, and Guiseppe Mazzini.

 Mazzini was instrumental in being the "soul" of Italian nationalism. He also established the secret society known as Young Italy, an organization devoted to a united Italy.

 Garibaldi was considered to be the "sword" of Italian nationalism. His band of Red Shirts conquered forces opposed to unification and forced southern Italy into a cohesive political unit.

 Cavour (shown here) was the "brain" in his role as a skilled diplomat. Cavour successfully received aid from France in a war against the Austrians and eventually put Victor Emmanuel II on the throne of a completely united Italian nation-state in 1861.