1. Obstacles to Italian Unity
People identified with local regions
Florence-Tuscans
Venice- Venetians
Naples- Neapolitans
Invasions of Napoleon created want for national unity
Nationalists organized secret patriotic societies

2. Mazzini-Young Italy
Giuseepe Mazzini founded secret society of Young Italy
“to constitute Italy, one, free, independent, republican nation”
Mazzini spent life in exile
United Italy made sense:
Geography, common language, common history
Unification would end trade barriers among Italian states

3. Risorgimento Italian nationalist movement
Constitutional monarch-Victor Emmanuel II
Camillo Cavour became prime minister
Reformed Sardinia’s economy
Long-term goal: end Austrian power in Italy, annex provinces of Lombardy and Venetia

4. Intrigue with France
1855 Sardinia joined Britain and France against Russia in Crimean War
Cavour and Napoleon made secret deal
France aid Sardinia in case it faced a war with Austria
Sardinia defeated Austria and annexed Lombardy
Overthrew Austrian-backed rulers in several other northern Italian states

5. Garibaldi’s “Red Shirts”
Kingdom of Two Sicilies (southern Italy)
Giuseppe Garibaldi (nationalist, ally of Mazzini)
Wanted to create Italian republic, accepted aid from Cavour
Recruited force of 1,000 red-shirted volunteers
Cavour provided weapons and 2 ships- Garibaldi and “Red Shirts” to Sicily
Won control of Sicily, marched to Naples

6. Unity at last Cavour sent Sardinian troops to deal with Garibaldi
Overthrew Papal States and combined forces with Garibaldi in Naples
Garibaldi turned Naples and Sicily to Victor Emmanuel
1861- Victor Emmanuel II crowned King of Italy
Two areas outside new Italian nation: Rome and Venetia
Ally with Prussia (Austro-Prussian War)- Province of Venetia
France forced to withdraw troops from Rome (Franco-Prussian War)

7. Divisions North richer and more cities than South
Norther Italian cities centers of business and culture
Southern lands rural and poor
Hostility between Roman Catholic Church and Italy
Popes resented seizure of Papal States and Rome
Gov’t granted papacy limited rights and control
Saw themselves as “prisoners” urged Italian Catholics not to cooperate with new gov’t

8. Turmoil Constitutional monarchy bicameral legislature
King appointed members to upper house (could veto bills passed by lower house)
Lower house-elected representatives (only small number of men could vote)
Unrest increased-socialists: organized strikes anarchists: sabotage and violence
Government set out to win overseas empire in Ethiopia

9. Economic Progress
Developed economically despite lack of natural resources
Industrialization brought urbanization
Peasants flocked to cities to find jobs in factories
Population explosion created tensions
Emigration to United States, Canada, and Latin American nations helped