1. The Unification of Italy and Germany
In this lesson, students will be able to identify the actions of the following individuals as well as define the term “Blood and Iron”:
Otto Von Bismarck
“Blood and Iron”
Count Cavor
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Created by: E. Napp (White Plains HS)
Adapted by: S. Fitzgerald (FD Roosevelt HS)
E. Napp

2. Questions for Reflection:
Define nationalism.
Describe German unification. (refer to policy of “Blood & Iron”)
Did Otto von Bismarck believe in “the ends justify the means”?
Who was Count Cavour and what did he do?
How did Giuseppe Garibaldi help Count Cavour?
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3. Before 1848, Germany was a confederation
of 38 states ruled by princes or kings.
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4. Prussia was the largest and most powerful German state.
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5. Many Germans believed that unity could only be achieved through
Prussian leadership.
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6. But the Prussian king would not take the
crown from the hands of revolutionaries
and liberals.
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7. The Prussian king appointed Otto von Bismarck his chief minister
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8. Blood = hard work of people, war when necessary
Bismarck
intended to use
“Blood and Iron”
as a means
for unification.
Blood = hard work of people, war when necessary
Iron = Industrialization, technology & weapons
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9. The Prussians fought three wars to
unify Germany. They fought the Danes, the Austrians, and the French.
Unification was achieved through
“blood and iron”.
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10. Schleswig and Holstein
The Prussians
fought Denmark
for control of
Schleswig and Holstein
in 1864.
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11. The Prussians fought the Austrians over administration of territories.
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12. And finally, the Prussians fought the French thereby successfully
uniting Northern
German Protestants
and Southern
German Catholics.
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13. By 1871, Germany was unified. Kaiser
or Emperor Wilhelm I ruled and Otto
von Bismarck served as the chancellor.
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14. Otto von Bismarck followed a policy of “blood and iron”
to achieve his goals.
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15. “The greatest questions of the day will not be settled by speeches and
majority decisions but by iron and
blood.”
Otto von Bismarck
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16. Although there was a national assembly,
it was controlled by conservative Prussian
landowners, not the working people.
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17. From the early 1800s, much of Northern Italy was ruled by Austria.
Since the
Middle Ages,
Italy had been
a collection
of kingdoms
and city-states.
From the early 1800s, much of Northern Italy was ruled by Austria.
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18. The Pope controlled central
Italy.
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19. of Italian unification. His writings inspired nationalists.
Giuseppe Mazzini founded an organization called “Young Italy”. It was a secret society for Italian unification. Mazzini was the “soul”
of Italian unification.
His writings
inspired nationalists.
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20. Mazzini’s writings stirred up revolts but the revolts were quickly put
down. Mazzini had to flee Italy.
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21. Garibaldi was the “sword” of unification.
Giuseppe
Garibaldi
worked
with
Mazzini and
was also
exiled.
Garibaldi was the “sword” of unification.
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22. He organized an army for unification. His soldiers were known
as the “Red Shirts”.
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23. “Mastermind” or “Brain” of unification.
In 1852, Count Cavour
became the Prime
Minister of the
Kingdom of Piedmont
or Sardinia. Cavour was
known as the
“Mastermind” or “Brain”
of unification.
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24. With French help, Cavour drove the Austrians out of
Northern Italy after
a war in 1859.
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25. Cavour then annexed most of the other
states of northern and central Italy.
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26. Giuseppe Garibaldi, overthrew the king of
Naples in the south (1860). He then joined
Naples to Cavour’s enlarged Piedmont.
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27. By 1860, Italy had become a united kingdom. (Rome added in 1870)
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28. National unification failed to end the cultural and economic divisions
that
separated
Italy’s north
and south.
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